A Week to Know You Again
by Em Dixon
Summary: After the first year of their engagement, Katara felt she and Zuko were already drifting apart. In the Fire Nation, their time always belonged to someone else. Now, in the South Pole for Suki and Sokka's wedding, they hoped to find each other again.
1. Tension

Katara, Suki, and Ty Lee were huddled together in the South Pole's bending arena watching the boys train. It had started as a sparring match between Zuko and Sokka, but then Aang insisted that his staff was a weapon, too, and he could beat both of them. At some point, the shirts had come off, and shortly after, Katara had ceased paying attention to everyone else. She was too busy watching her fiancé, the way his muscles in his arm flexed when he moved, his signature confident smirk firmly in place as he swung his right dao.

Pure strength was evident in his blow, and Katara took a deep breath, thinking of the way it felt to be held by him, to know that he could support her weight so effortlessly. His hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but little tendrils stuck to his forehead. The girls were close enough that Katara could see the sweat as it rolled down his chest and his back, and she licked her lips, gripping the edge of the rail that separated the arena from the seating. Zuko and Sokka were double-teaming Aang, limiting his movement, and things weren't boding well for the young monk. Zuko ducked under Aang's staff, dropping down low, spinning gracefully to position his shoulder toward Aang. He exhaled a gust of steam as he plowed his shoulder into Aang's middle, sending him back into Sokka, who flipped him on his back.

Beside her, Ty Lee and Suki were cheering, but Katara squirmed in her seat. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Life in the Fire Nation had been hectic since their engagement last year, and Katara felt like she and Zuko were drifting apart already. They hardly had time for each other anymore; council meetings, wedding planning, and business permits took up too much of their time. Sure, they cuddled at night, but that cuddling was followed by sleep. Nothing more.

"That was fantastic!" Ty Lee said, standing up and clapping.

Zuko sauntered over Katara, still smirking, still shirtless, still covered in sweat. Her eyes roamed over him, taking him in, recalling nights gone by when she was the one to make him sweat like that. Katara bit her lip, regretting the decision to stay with her father rather than Gran and Pakku. When Zuko leaned toward her, Katara met him halfway, not kissing him as fully as she would like, too afraid that she wouldn't be able to stop. Her chest was heaving, and she hoped that her thick parka hid it from the others.

Suki had chosen to meet Sokka in the ring, and she had her arms thrown around his neck, kissing him passionately.

Ty Lee giggled. "They're so cute together."

They were in the South for a week for Suki and Sokka's wedding. Even though Sokka had every intention of putting them to work, this was to be Katara and Zuko's little vacation. It was probably the only thing approaching a vacation they would have for years to come.

"Cold?" Zuko asked, nodding toward her parka. She was the only one still wearing her coat.

Steam was curling off Zuko's body in the cool air, and Katara reached out to those little whisps, remembering the way it felt when he was holding her, steaming them both as he carried her out of the bath more than a year ago. Her skin had been so warm, and she could feel the individual droplets of water as they peeled away from her body, leaving her hypersensitive. Katara took another deep breath and swallowed hard.

"A little," she said, turning away from Zuko to pick up his towel.

She didn't let her eyes meet his as he grabbed her by the waist to lift her over the low railing. For brief moments, he held her securely off the ground, and Katara resisted the urge to wrap her legs around him, to kiss him and feel his tongue against hers, to roll her hips against his. Another deep breath, and her feet were firmly on the ground again, and she quickly began wiping the sweat away, trying to ignore just how firm he was, how sculpted, how soft his skin as her bare hands glided over his chest and his abs.

Another deep breath, and Katara turned her back to Zuko and his distracting body so she could get his shirt and parka off the bench. Just as she bent over to pick up the clothing, she felt him pressed against her, his hands on either side of the railing, trapping her.

"What's really wrong?" Zuko asked softly as she leaned back against him.

"Nothing…"

Her mouth was too dry, and she was finally feeling the heat, although that might have had something to do with Zuko. There was too much heat in her body, and it was pooling in places it had no business pooling just yet. They wouldn't be alone for quite some time, and even when they would be alone, it would be late at night, and they'd probably both be tired. If that wasn't enough, her father's room was just the other side of theirs.

"Why won't you look at me?"

Katara tried to shrug, but Zuko was wrapping his arms around her waist, his mouth by her ear, making every nerve in her body feel alive, causing every hair to stand on end. She tried to swallow.

"I'm…I'm not avoiding you. If I was avoiding you, I'd be trying to get away right now. But I'm not."

His chest vibrated behind her as he laughed. "That's true."

Katara held her breath when he kissed her neck, biting her lip, unable to stop that little whimper. Zuko made a surprised noise, then kissed her again, and Katara pressed herself back against him a little more, possibly grinding against him just a little. She grabbed his arms roughly, panting, needing everything or nothing and knowing she couldn't have everything at that moment, choosing instead to push away. She handed his shirt to him, and obediently, Zuko put on his shirt, then his parka, keeping a bit of distance between them.

.O.

"Are you alright, Katara?" Suki paused in her vegetable chopping to give Katara a meaningful look.

Outside, Sokka and Zuko were continuing their years long debate about which was better, one sword or two. Sokka was waving away some point that Zuko made, which caused the older boy to retaliate with a playful shove. Sokka picked up a handful of snow and rubbed it in Zuko's face. Then there was an all out snow fight, with Zuko tackling Sokka, and much rolling around and shoving snow down the backs of parkas.

"I swear," Suki said, putting her hands on her hips, "sometimes you wouldn't even know they're in their twenties. You'd think they're still fifteen."

All Katara saw was Zuko's smile and the way he moved, dodging a snowball. Somehow, both boys went down, and Sokka was holding Zuko's face down in the snow, laughing triumphantly, but in a move Katara knew too well, Zuko threw all his weight to one side, knocking Sokka off balance. He'd done that so many times during their sparring matches. He would pin her arms down, sometimes lacing their fingers together as he smirked, and Katara knew he was feeling playful whenever he positioned himself between her legs, rather than using his to pin hers down. Generally, by that point, his shirt would have come off, and he'd lean down and kiss her, his tongue caressing hers, her hand roaming over his back, feeling his muscles ripple as he moved against her.

"What are _you_ thinking about?" Suki asked, a sly smile on her face.

Katara blushed, and before she could answer, Ursa came in, Hakoda, Iroh, and Jun in tow.

"Something smells delicious," Iroh said, coming over to inspect the pot on the stove.

Katara busied herself chopping the remaining vegetables, doing her best to school her mind into more appropriate thoughts. As she'd predicted, she and Zuko didn't have a moment alone that day. In fact, they'd hardly spent any time together at all. Sokka demanded Zuko's presence as he went about the last of his shopping. Zuko grumbled a bit, but he'd complied, leaving Katara with the girls while Sokka and Zuko had their manly shopping trip. Now, she'd have to sit through a lengthy dinner next to Zuko and think about all the ways she wasn't supposed to touch him.

"Aah!"

All eyes were on Katara as she winced, shaking her hand. It'd been ages since she nicked herself with a knife.

"I'm fine," she said, thoroughly ignoring Suki, who was trying to get her attention. "I'll just heal it."

"I'm starving," Toph announced, having Ty Lee lead her into the kitchen. "You two done cooking yet?"

And so, everyone else came out of nowhere, summoned by the dinner bell that was Toph's loud proclamation. Hoping to escape the increasing chatter for a bit, Katara grabbed two towels and met Sokka and Zuko at the front door. They were still laughing and shoving each other.

"Dinner's ready," Katara said, focusing on her brother.

"So we heard." Sokka accepted his towel and began drying himself off as he headed for the kitchen.

"You ready to tell me what's been bothering you?" Zuko asked, running the towel over his face.

As if he didn't know. Katara rolled her eyes and was about to head back into the kitchen when Zuko grabbed her arm, spinning her and pinning her against the wall. Katara melted into him almost immediately, her hands grabbing his hips, pulling them flush against hers as she opened her mouth to him. She gave in, stealing this brief moment before someone came to interrupt them, running her tongue along his, feeling him harden a little more in response to a thrust of her hips. His hands were on her bottom, squeezing, as her hands slipped under his shirt, caressing his chest, and then his back.

"That doesn't count as dinner," Hakoda said. He pointed into the kitchen where the rest of their family was waiting. "Now."

Katara tried to shrink back behind Zuko, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the kitchen, Hakoda following close behind them.

.O.

Katara went to bed early. An hour and a half later, Zuko came to join her.

"What took you so long?" she asked, already removing his shirt.

Zuko grabbed her hands, pulled them away from her clothing. "Wait, we can't. Your dad's room—"

"I will _die_ if something doesn't happen tonight."

Zuko smirked, dancing out of her reach when she came toward him. They moved like this, coming close, then finding distance between themselves, and Zuko smirked the whole time. Katara was past the point where this was a joke.

"I want alone time, Zuko, preferably while we're both conscious," Katara said forcefully. "I want our intimacy back. I want _you_."

She stalked across the bed to where he was, and obediently, Zuko sat down. Hiking up her nightgown, Katara straddled him, one hand running through his hair, encouraging him to kiss her neck. He obliged with little kisses along her jaw and behind her ear, and Katara rolled her hips against him. Zuko moaned against her neck, his teeth grazing her skin, and Katara knew he missed this just as much as she did. Their time always belonged to someone else, now. Tonight would be theirs.

Katara swirled her hips, and Zuko stiffened in response, his hands sliding up her nightgown, squeezing her bottom as he pressed her down on that growing bulge. He threw his head back, moaning as he ground against her, his fingers hooked under the waist of her underwear before realizing this was very different.

"Wait—"

"I knew you needed this as much as I did."

Zuko's grip on her tightened as his thrusts became more insistent, but always hovering on the side of restraint. It wasn't enough for Katara. She needed more. There was too much clothing between them, even if she could feel him, completely hard, rubbing against her.

"You don't know how to be quiet," Zuko said, rubbing his thumbs over her covered nipples.

Katara flicked her hips in two sharp movements, making Zuko moan and bite his lip.

"Tonight, I don't care."

Abruptly, Katara stood, lifting the straps of her nightgown and letting it fall to the floor. Zuko's eyes widened.

"Ty Lee and I went shopping before we left the Fire Nation."

She stepped back so Zuko could see her new underwear in all its pink lacy glory. The fabric was soft and sheer, upper wrappings clearly more for show than support, and Katara ran her hands over her breasts, squeezing and massaging, pinching her nipples, loving the way the lace rubbed against her, and trailing her hands lower, across her stomach, to the top of her lace panties. Zuko watched her greedily, licking his lips, the corner of his mouth pulled up in a delighted smirk. Katara turned around so Zuko could see the back; this was as far from long underwear as she could possibly get, the lace not even covering all of her butt. She arched her back, looking over her shoulder to see Zuko's reaction.

Zuko stood and pressed himself firmly into her backside, his hands sliding up her stomach to cup her breasts, and he kissed her neck, his tongue flicking along her pulse.

"You'll have to be quiet," he said, dragging his lips along her neck, causing her to arch back against him.

His hand slid below her waistband, and Katara braced herself against the wall, gasping as he slid a finger inside her, grinding his hips into her, and something uncoiled quickly, making her legs shake as Zuko added a second finger, curling them inside her to hit the right spots. Katara threw her head back against Zuko's shoulder and swallowed her moans as best she could, moving her hips to push down on his fingers as he pushed up into her, but it still wasn't enough.

"What's the matter?" Zuko asked, as she pulled his fingers out of her.

Any further questioning was silenced as she slipped his fingers in her mouth, sucking and licking them, swirling her tongue and feeling Zuko's temperature rise as his hand gripped her hip tighter, his chest heaving behind her.

"Fuck. Katara, it's not enough."

Those were just the words she'd been waiting to hear, because she'd been feeling that way all day long. Nothing was ever enough, no touch, no kiss, no closeness could satisfy this deep, primal need, and who tore at whose clothes didn't matter because they were on the bed, she on her back and him hovering over her. Katara didn't even care that he teased her, rubbing his tip along her slit; it was like a whispered promise before he slid into her, and he did so, slowly, stifling his own moans as much as he could, his forehead pressed against hers. They were gasping, just from this little touch, and there was noise in the hallway. The others were going to bed, passing by their door as Zuko started to move in and out of her, his lips grazing hers, one hand caressing her thigh.

He picked up his pace, his thrusts becoming more powerful, his back flexing beneath her hand, and they used kisses to quiet pleasurable noises. Katara could feel him moving deep inside her, and she arched her back, feeling her muscles tighten, threatening to pull him in and never let go. The more she tightened, the harder he thrust, and Katara let out a deep breathy moan, surprised that sound even came out of her.

"That's so sexy," Zuko said, curling his tongue against her nipple. "Do it again."

"Make me."

Katara smirked when Zuko's eyes flicked up to her, their gold dark with lust and hunger and that same primal need. Zuko grazed his teeth over her nipple, sucking harder as his thrusts picked up speed, slamming into her with delicious force, and the heat built up in the pit of her stomach, that deep breathy moan threatening to escape as Hakoda and Sokka's voices carried into their room, planning what needed to be done the next day. Katara twined her hand in Zuko's hair, her grip like a vice, and the bed creaked beneath them as a squeal was swallowed by Zuko's mouth on hers, tasting like hot embers, her eyes rolling back in her head, her toes curling, and her heart threatening to stop.

Zuko slowed his pace only marginally, their foreheads touching and their breath mingling as his arms shook. His breath was erratic, little puffs of steam, and Katara's eyes widened in surprise because she could feel him getting hotter inside her, and he had to swallow another of her moans as this new, hot sensation pushed her over the edge. A true orgasm took over her body, making her muscles twitch and convulse, and she grabbed Zuko's hips because she didn't want him to stop just yet, just keep going a little longer. She wanted to feel his heat mount until his body released it. She wanted to feel him inside her longer, and as her muscles clenched around him, he released, too, and Katara felt his warmth seep into every part of her being as his arms gave out, and he collapsed on top of her.

Finally sated, Katara smiled sleepily as Zuko maneuvered the thick covers over them. Katara could still feel him trembling as he snaked his arm around her waist, kissing her shoulder.

"I missed you, you know," he said.

Katara snuggled against him even more. "I've missed you, too."

* * *

><p>Yeah, this is what I'm doing rather than working on my Aangzula fic : I am bad. But smut! Smut is good! Also, this is more like a collection of one shots rather than a chaptered story, so each 'chapter' can stand on its own.


	2. Immensities

Zuko lay on his back, the first rays of the sun peeking through the closed curtains. He hummed tunelessly, running his hand through Katara's hair, then down her bare back, coming to rest on her butt. She giggled, pillowing her head against his chest. They'd had far too few of these quiet mornings, and Zuko wasn't too eager to give it up now that he had it. Katara shivered when he ghosted his fingers over her side, pressing herself closer to him.

"So what's on our agenda today, Fire Lord?" She bit her lip as she tried not to smile.

"The Fire Lord's on vacation this week, but he really should get down to the hawkery to see if he's got any updates from his staff."

The furs slid down to Katara's waist as she dropped her legs on either side of his, sitting up and crossing her arms. She gave him her best stern look, but such looks were always wasted when there was so little clothing. That Hakoda's room shared a wall with theirs didn't even cross his mind as he ran his hands up her thighs. Katara couldn't suppress a lusty smile as she removed his hands. Obediently, Zuko folded them behind his head.

"Perhaps it's been so long since his highness has taken a vacation that he's forgotten what a vacation entails. I'll check for updates. You can't look at them without micromanaging."

She was tracing his lightning scar again, her fingers moving deftly over the planes of his stomach, knowing the route by heart. She could have done it with her eyes closed, but her hands didn't stay concentrated on the scar for too long.

"Need I remind you?" Zuko asked, watching her lick her lips. "Madness and cannibalism?"

Zuko's breath hitched as she wiggled down a little further, his eyes closed as she found a comfortable position, his hands were on her thighs as she leaned forward, his lips were on her lips as she kissed him, her tongue snaking into his mouth. All thoughts of the Fire Nation were quickly discarded. His body responded to hers, and he grunted as he gave an upward thrust of his hips, Katara's nails scratching lightly at his chest. She gasped when he moved his kisses from her lips to her jawline, using his heated tongue to draw little circles against her pulse. She moaned softly as he grabbed her ass firmly, grinding her against him, feeling her slicken. He loved the way she moved her hands over his chest, loved the way she grabbed onto his shoulders as she arched her back, her hair tossed over her shoulder, beautiful blue eyes peeking out through long, dark lashes.

"Katara?" Sokka was knocking at the door and Zuko cursed under his breath. "Are you guys awake yet?"

Panting, Katara rolled her eyes. She kissed Zuko quickly on the lips, and was about to get off, but he held her firmly. He wasn't going to let this chance slip past them. When they returned to the Fire Nation, private moments like this would be few and far between. There would be too much duty to occupy their time, and he had his suspicions that some people were doing it on purpose, trying to drive a wedge between them so they'd call the wedding off.

"Don't answer him and he'll think you're asleep," he whispered in her ear. "For someone who complains about me not taking vacations, you don't know how to take one, either."

"Katara, I'm hungry, and Gran's not here yet. I would fix something for myself but, you know, you're the one who banned me from the kitchen. Said I'd poison the entire South Pole if something didn't explode and decimate the population first."

Zuko rolled his hips against Katara's again, and her grip on him tightened. Let Sokka talk at the door all he wanted. Zuko had a far more convincing argument.

"If something explodes, Katara…" Sokka was trying desperately to appeal to Katara's sense of self preservation. "You always said I'd destroy the world with food."

Pushing her up a bit, Zuko leaned forward to kiss Katara's shoulder, saying with each kiss that what he could offer was far more pleasurable, that she would beg for more, and by the time her nipple was in his mouth, his tongue telling her that no dessert was sweeter, she was wet and ready for him, and he slid into her easily, relishing that little moan and the way her hands twisted in his hair.

"Good girl," he whispered with a smirk, and Katara smirked back at him before throwing her head back as she cupped her breasts.

"Huh," Sokka was saying. "I guess they really are asleep. Suki!" Sokka walked off down the hall, calling for his fiancée.

For Zuko, there was no better sight than that of his own fiancée above or below him, her eyes hooded with lust and satisfaction as she rode him expertly. Katara knew exactly what she wanted, pinching and playing with her nipples as she slid off him only to plunge back down, swirling her hips in a seductive circle the whole way. Zuko fought against closing his eyes when her muscles tightened around him, and he bit back an unbidden moan when she leaned forward, bouncing against him, alternating up and down and figure eights. For once, she was actually managing the noise she made, keeping her volume low, preferring to let out little whimpers in his ear, or with her face pressed against her chest, her teeth digging into him. To her, he was never afraid to give control, nor was he afraid to take it. And dammit, he wanted to hear her _moan_.

Zuko flipped her, and she let out a loud startled noise. Just as he was hooking her leg over his arm, thrusting down into her, the door flew open.

"Aha! I knew…"

Zuko glared daggers at Sokka. The temperature in the room dropped several degrees, and Katara pushed herself up on her elbows, clearly not caring about her nakedness.

"Do you mind?" she asked as if Sokka had interrupted a really good book.

Zuko smirked. Yes, in a way, Sokka _had_ interrupted a really good book. Zuko was always in the habit of filing away each sound she made and what he could do to get her to make that sound again. Those years they were hiding, he'd replay clandestine nights in his head before he went to sleep, the way she looked, silhouetted by the stars, the way the candles gave her skin a warm, golden hue. If he were to close his eyes now, he could see the way her curves looked when they were lighted by the moonlight at the beach, her shirt wet and sticking to her breasts, her nipples hard, hair plastered to her face, her smile sultry, seductive, calling him to join her. He remembered the way something in him responded without consulting his brain, moving his feet and his mind and his heart always toward her.

"You do know Dad's room is just right there, right?" Sokka asked, pointing.

"Get out unless you want to know all the ways I can make your sister _scream_," Zuko growled, his voice deep with his need.

Sokka closed the door quietly and quickly, and Zuko gave a powerful thrust, grunting as he slammed into Katara. She gasped, letting out a half choked moan as her nails dug painfully into his arms. Her neck was exposed to him, long and lean, and he licked it, and she quivered beneath him.

"I didn't think you were serious," she said breathily, smiling against his lips.

"And why not?" he asked, pumping into her, his teeth along her neck. "I've always done my best thinking in water."

Zuko quickly covered her mouth with his to swallow a plea for more, even as he obliged, rubbing his thumb in circles around her clit. He picked up his pace, nearing his release, determined to give Katara another orgasm like the one she had the night before. When he took her nipple in his mouth again, her hand wound in his hair, her breath coming in quick, sharp pants as he drug little tendrils of staticky lightning up the back of her leg.

"Please… Right there," Katara whimpered, rolling her hips up to meet his. "Please, oh spirits… Zuko…"

She bit down on his shoulder to keep from crying out as she convulsed beneath him, her muscles clenching and unclenching, and still he pumped into her, loving the feel of being swallowed by her, being hugged and held by her, loving the feel of her name on his tongue as he came, his whole body shaking as she gasped for air in little hiccups, her hands grabbing at his back and his ass, still pulling him closer and closer and closer. Like the tide, their movements slowed until they were no longer crashing against each other.

"Sokka's going to hate me for a while," Zuko said, chuckling, his face buried in the pillow by her head. It was worth the momentary hate.

.O.

The morning wasn't busy yet, though there were a few early risers who'd begun opening stalls and running errands. Zuko leaned back on the front steps next to Sokka, resting his elbows on the steps behind him. The cold air was bracing, making his mouth dry and cold. He didn't bother trying to warm himself up. It was a good feeling. The air was cold even as it entered his lungs, and Zuko thought he could taste it. It wasn't so cold as to burn, but he was always aware of its presence and the promise of relief and warmth under thick furs. He burrowed a little deeper in his parka. Was this how Katara felt in the Fire Nation? Was the warmth and the mugginess an omnipresent force for her, and did she look forward to beaches and to the water that she could cool?

"You know," Sokka said, "you could have just told me you were busy."

"You could have _not_ barged into our room," Zuko countered, smiling a little.

Even though Sokka's tone was light, Zuko could tell something wasn't quite right with his best friend. His shoulders were slumped, and hands dangled limply between his knees. Occasionally, Sokka would frown, as if he missed something, or had done something wrong. These little flashes of intense thought worried Zuko. Since they'd docked at the South Pole, Sokka had been nothing but a bundle of energy, sometimes excited, sometimes ecstatic, but never dipping below 'I just might be on drugs.' To see him so somber now made Zuko wonder if everything was alright is Sokka-land.

"So?" Zuko asked, looking up at the sun. "What changed during the night?"

Sokka shrugged. "It kind of hit me this morning. I woke up, and Suki wasn't there. She was already getting started on breakfast. And I saw her there, and she smiled at me, and I had this…I don't know. A moment. And it hit me."

Zuko nodded. Occasionally, he had those moments, too, even though his own wedding was still a year off.

"Sometimes I forget we're engaged until one of the nobles addresses her in the market," Zuko offered. "It's something so…simple. They call her princess and ask for some stupid court favor, and then it hits me."

"It feels weird to say it, right?" Sokka nudged Zuko with his elbow. "Wife. Suki. My wife."

"It's terrifying."

Sokka laughed, and Zuko laughed, too. It was terrifying and electric, a notion that hummed through the body and heightened every emotion. Iroh would simply call it love, but Zuko was convinced it had to be more than that. He had loved Katara for a long time; the same with Sokka and Suki. This felt like so much more.

Snow crunched underfoot as more people came out of their houses, and they waved at the Fire Lord and the future Chief, and Sokka and Zuko returned the kind greetings. The sky above them was cloudless, and Sokka shaded his eyes as he watched a bird circle overhead, cawing loudly. It was peaceful, and Zuko closed his eyes. It was moments like these that he wouldn't mind forgetting the Fire Nation existed at all. It could fade into nothingness, and he would still be happy, still feel fulfilled.

"Do you two…do that…every morning? Suki and I…we've never had sex in the morning."

Zuko looked over, and Sokka was scrunching his nose, looking like he swallowed some of Katara's bitter medicine. It was an odd question. They'd often talked about sex before, but ever since Sokka found out that his sister was the girl Zuko was having sex with, he'd sheid away from the topic.

"Please don't make me say it," Sokka begged.

"No," Zuko said, chuckling. "That's maybe the second time. Usually it's sun meditations, breakfast, then early morning meetings. Or paperwork and letter writing. Katara's been making a lot of visits to hospitals to evaluate them. There are days when we don't see much of each other except in the morning and the evening, and by then we're too tired to do anything other than go to sleep."

Sokka cringed. "I'm afraid that'll happen to me and Suki. What if we don't have time for each other anymore? What if I can't give her what she wants?"

The two sat in silence, and Zuko thought about Sokka's fear. Too often, especially over the last year, he'd thought the same thing. Katara wanted to marry _him_, but instead she got an entire country. She would always have to share his attention, and there were times when she couldn't be number one in his life. It wasn't fair to her. Many nights he'd lain awake and watched her sleep, and she would reach out for him, snuggle against him contentedly. She was an anchor in his life, and whenever she reached out for him, he responded, moving closer to her and knowing he could never get out of the bed like he used to. In the mornings, she would look at him and smile, and her face and her gentle kisses would say that it was all enough.

"Let me channel Uncle for a minute," Zuko said, scratching his chin.

"Come on—"

"Don't worry, I'll give it to you translated from Iroh-speak." Zuko took a deep breath. "Suki and Katara both knew when they started dating us that we would always be bound to our nations and our people. But they stuck by us. Suki's used to being a leader, and Katara's just bossy." Zuko couldn't stop the smile that spread rapidly across his face. "You're giving Suki a chance to continue helping in a way she couldn't before. Now that Kiyoshi is politically tied to the South, she can continue to help her home. She's willing to share your burden and make this job easier. She's willing to share in what will become the biggest part of your identity. She'll be there as you become The Chief more often, and Sokka less and less."

"I wonder what that would have sounded like in Iroh-speak."

Zuko laughed as the front door opened, and Suki and Katara came out, each carrying two mugs of a steaming chocolate. Suki sat next to Sokka, handing him a mug. Zuko accepted his mug as Katara came to sit between his legs on the step just below him. Placing a finger under her chin, Zuko turned her face to him and kissed her, his lips firm against hers. When he slipped his tongue in her mouth, she moaned softly, gripping his knee like she might fall otherwise. He ran his thumb along her jaw, and she melted against him.

"You know, Sokka, you should try it out sometime," Zuko said, turning to his best friend. "I really can't think of a better way to start the day."

He placed a little kiss just in that spot that made Katara giggle.

"Did you just make my sister…giggle?"

He did. And he was the only one who could make her give that little girlish giggle that so starkly contrasted with the strong, bossy, powerful, know-it-all Katara that everyone else knew. She was willing to share in the biggest and the most secret parts of him. The least he could do was share in the secret parts of her.

* * *

><p>Smut up front, contemplation in back, with a bit of fluff thrown in. I'm constantly having to remind myself that a big part of Zuko and Katara's relationship is the intimacy and their ability to tell each other everything (this, so I don't get carried away on the smut-wagon), and I wanted to include a bit of that in their week of reconnecting. They're getting a chance to just be and enjoy each other again, without all the responsibilities that come with running a country.<p>

Zuko and Sokka's conversation spontaneously flowered in my mind and wouldn't let go, so... I think Zuko would be the natural choice for Sokka to turn to as far as advice on being a leader and balancing a personal life. Circumstances are different, and because the South is structured very differently from the Fire Nation, Sokka will probably have a much easier time making space for him and Suki to be together, but I think that fear would be there. When the lust and the immediate passion begin to fade away, you have to be left with something. That, and Sokka's got wedding jitters.


	3. Recollection

Amongst all the morning and mid-afternoon wedding craziness, and Suki's rants about the wedding favors turning the feast into a blood bath as drunken guests put each other's eyes out, Katara managed to find a bit of peace for her and Zuko. She ran her hands through his hair, and he closed his eyes contentedly, sighing with his head in her lap. The fire blazed comfortably, and Katara tried to imagine what their lives would be like if they lived in the South. Peaceful was the first thing that came to mind.

"You think we could convince Gran and Pakku to take our room at your dad's?" Zuko asked. "Then we could have their house to ourselves."

Katara laughed. "Except for your mom, Uncle, Jun, and Azula are staying here, too, remember?"

"But there's room for them, too. Or you could bend us a little hut out back, and we could just stay there."

Zuko sat up and turned to face her, taking her hands in his. "For the rest of this week, just you and I. Alone."

"In a hut?"

"You bring the ice, I'll bring the fire," he said, smiling. "We could do whatever we want."

It was a tempting idea that became even more tempting when Zuko leaned forward, gently touching his lips to hers. Sometimes, Zuko was still a puzzle to her. All the pieces were there, but the pictures would shift. One minute he could be strong and domineering, standing up to Suki in full Bridal Rage, reminding her that she was the one who suggested the knives in the first place. The next, he'd be sitting across from her on the furs in front of the fire at her grandmother's house, his lips like luxuriant silk against her own. Katara leaned forward, and Zuko cupped her cheek, his thumb caressing her face. When she pulled back, Zuko followed her, crawling forward to close what little gap was between them.

"While your argument is very convincing," Katara said, trying to be stern, "living in an ice hut isn't the most attractive—"

Zuko's mouth was on her neck, and he was pushing her to lie on her back. Katara obliged without much argument, and when she brought her legs up on either side of Zuko, he only pushed them back down.

"Yesterday," Zuko said, "you told me you wanted our intimacy back. I do, too."

Katara loved looking up into Zuko's eyes, and as he hovered above her, she caressed his face and his scar. It was still familiar under her fingertips, and Zuko closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. She traced his brow, and his eyes fluttered closed as she moved her hands over his burned eye, wondering if his vision had already begun diminishing, and she couldn't stop the deep ache in her heart by the time her hand was over his ear. Sometimes, it would hit her just how much he endured at the hands of his father, and it never failed to make her hate Ozai just a little more for the hurt he caused his son. The first time she'd touched Zuko's scar, he'd been scared and confused, not sure where he belonged in the world. The second time she'd touched his scar, they were on their way back from not killing Yon Rha, and his insecurities and blossoming confidence had been exposed to her. By the third time she touched his scar, she was already beginning to love him, even if she didn't know it, hiding in a moonlit room in the Ember Island beach house.

"The hut isn't so much about the living," Zuko said as he switched their positions and pulled her on top of him, hugging her close to his chest. "It's more about being with you, and not having to share you with anyone else."

She could blame wedding fever for being increasingly emotional, but that wouldn't be the whole truth. Katara closed her eyes and gave in to the steady rise and fall of his chest, letting herself be absorbed in everything that was Zuko. Soon, she would be wife, and after that, she would be mother. She would be Fire Lady, and there would be a crown. As they got older, there would be days, probably whole months, when they didn't see each other. There would be times when her duty or his duty took them away from each other, and they'd have nothing but memories and letters to keep them close.

"I'm scared," she whispered.

"Me, too."

Katara entwined their fingers, and they just lay together in front of the fire. In her mind and in her dreams, she'd built this moment up to be something greater than it could ever be. In her dreams, their engagement was always filled with love and tender caresses and passionate nights. There was widespread acceptance, and flower petals floated past them on the wind. The sun always shone, and Zuko was always at her side. Reality had a way of destroying dreams, though. Transferring power to her hadn't been easy, nor had it been welcomed by several council members, and some staff. The tender caresses and passionate nights had been in abundance when they were first engaged, but things had begun to stagnate. It wasn't helped by her duty calling her away to the outer islands and a few colonies.

The house was silent except for the sound of the fire, and Zuko kissed her fingers, then her hand and her wrist, and Katara slid her hand up his shirt, just touching.

"Remember when we were on Ember Island?" Katara asked, giggling. "Remember how you were so scared of me?"

Zuko laughed lightly. "I wasn't ever scared of you."

"In all the months of you chasing us, I didn't ever think you could show such…restraint."

"I like to think restraint is one of my best qualities."

Katara scooted up so she was lying right next to Zuko, her hand still up his shirt. She always did like touching him, and once he got over his aversion to being touched or being close to people, he seemed to enjoy it, too. She'd considered it her civic duty to touch Zuko, and to get him acquainted with touch.

"You used to be so jumpy," she said, kissing his cheeks and his eyelids. "I'm glad you got over it."

When she kissed him, he didn't shy away like a scared animal. He pulled her closer to him, his arms strong at her waist, and his tongue was in her mouth first, and it just reminded Katara of all the ways things had changed between them. When Zuko sat up, he pulled her with him, and Katara maneuvered herself into his lap, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing their chests together. Whenever Zuko tried to pull back, she followed him, not ready to let him go. He smiled against her lips, holding her firmly by the shoulders and pushing her back.

"I remember when you never would have done that," Zuko said, smiling. "No matter how bossy and uptight you were during the day, you were so…_soft_ at night."

"Really? Because I remember things a little differently. If it hadn't been for me, we wouldn't even be here."

Katara couldn't help a mischievous smile. It had been her idea to push their boundaries. Initially, there was just a lot of kissing, and eventually some groping and snuggling, but to accept it and just roll with the urges, that had been Katara's idea. To not name it, just call it a _thing_. They would have a thing, and there would be nothing wrong with it.

"Don't you remember?" Katara asked.

She moved her hands over her chest, squeezing through her shirt as she rolled her hips. She tossed her head back as she moved her hands lower.

"Mmmm, Zuko," she sighed, smiling.

"Maybe you should help my memory a little more."

Zuko's eyes were roaming over her, watching as she dipped her hand below the waistband of her pants, and she arched her back, making sure to grind into him like she had that night so long ago when they were just hormonal teenagers in the same bed trying to pretend that there wasn't anything serious between them. She ran her hand lightly along his thigh, saw his chest rise and fall a little quicker. Pinching her nipples, she rolled against him again.

There was no pretending this time. There was just a little more than nothing between them.

"Do you remember, now?" Katara asked, her head tilted to the side. As she slid her hand in her underwear, she could feel him pressing against her.

"It's starting to come back to me," he said, smiling.

Zuko was showing remarkable restraint again. His hands remained on the floor on either side of him. He'd made no move to help her, just leaning back and watching as she rolled her hips and squeezed her breasts. She would break him. This was supposed to be a little roleplay, a little reminder of their earliest times together, and when Katara slipped a finger inside herself, she didn't expect to be _that_ wet. The shudder that went through her was real, and she imagined that her fingers were Zuko's expert fingers, exploring her and teasing her. When she gripped his leg this time, it wasn't an act, and Zuko must have seen that because now he was on the verge of moving, but Katara shook her head, even as he got harder beneath her.

Katara leaned forward, resting her head on his shoulder, her lips grazing his neck as she moaned, and he offered his neck to her. She whimpered as she picked up the pace, whimpered as she gripped his shoulder, and finally, it was too much, and Zuko broke, both hands reaching for her.

"Touch me, and I stop," Katara said, her mouth right on his neck. "You said restraint was one of your best qualities."

Zuko growled low in his throat, but obliged, keeping his hands at his sides, and Katara moaned his name in his ear as his breath caught, and he closed his eyes.

"You used to wonder what I looked like without my shirt," Katara said breathily in his ear. "I saw the way you looked at me when we were down by the beach. At night, the water got cold, and I waited for you to come warm me up."

Behind them, the fire flared brightly, and Zuko leaned forward. Katara bit his neck as a warning, reminding him of no touching, but she could feel him shaking, straining, and knowing that dangerous look in his eyes. But she didn't stop; she was nearing her climax, and she ground her fingers further into her, the fire flaring every time her hand so much as grazed him.

"Katara, please," he begged. _Begged_.

Katara laughed, a deep, throaty laugh, as she came because Zuko had _never_ begged for it in his _life_. He deserved a reward. When she kissed him, his mouth was hot and forceful against hers, but he'd waited long enough, and he'd been a good boy. Smiling, Katara got out of his lap and stood in front of him. Slowly, she untucked her shirt and pulled it over her head, exposing only a little flesh at a time until the shirt was completely gone and Zuko's eyes had gone wide. She undid her belt and slowly slid her pants down over her hips, turning her back to Zuko as she pulled them below her butt, wiggling her hips as if they were too tight and she was struggling to get out of them. She finally kicked the pants away, the turned to look over her shoulder at her fiancée, who sat dumbstruck, his jaw practically on the floor.

"You were wearing _that_ all day?"

Sheer and gold, the garments bared it all for the imagination. Delicate black threading mimicked waves on her backside and across her breasts, and the most hungry, delicious smile came over Zuko's features, and he stood and held her from behind.

"I've worn it four times since I had it made. On the off chance that we might end up naked together," Katara said, leaning back into him.

She turned around, and Zuko's mouth went to her neck, his hands on her butt, and he ground into her.

"It's a good thing I never saw you, because I don't think I would have let you leave the room for a whole _month_."

Katara giggled when Zuko kissed that spot by her ear that tickled and pleased, and he was pushing her back against the armrest of the couch. He was out of his shirt, and Katara's hands were at the waist of his pants, and she couldn't get him out of them fast enough. He had a far easier time removing her clothing, not even bothering to untie the knots, just burning them, and as the fire flared in his hands, it flared in the fireplace, and for a moment, Katara was afraid the house might suffer structural damage from the heat and the flame, but she wasn't going to tell him to stop. Her underwear was tossed over Zuko's shoulder, and he lifted her by the backs of the thighs and sat her on the edge of the armrest.

"What're you doing?" Katara asked, her heart pounding.

Zuko paused, her leg over his shoulder. He smiled and kissed her ankle. "Is that a serious question? Or did you have something else in mind?"

It was hard to concentrate and remember what her original point had been when he was sucking on the inside of her ankle like that, and Katara scooted forward, wondering what would happen if someone were to walk in the door just then. They'd cuddled on the floor for a while, and they didn't know just how long it would be before people came back to the house for one thing or another. If Zuko was wondering these same things, he showed no signs of it, just pushing into her, exhaling a gust of steamy air as he did so.

"There's no one here but us," Zuko said, picking a fast rhythm as he slid in and out of her. "_Scream_."

Every thrust came harder than the last, and as he breathed, the fire dwindled and raged erratically, and Katara moaned loudly as Zuko slammed into her, the skin of her ankle caught between his teeth. She'd forgotten just what a wonderful feeling it was to give voice to that moan, and not have to muffle her cries of pleasure. As Zuko rolled his hips into hers, pushing as deep as he could go, she rolled into him, clenching and hoping to pull him deeper. The more forceful the push, the more it vibrated through her entire body, and Katara dropped back, digging her nails into the couch as Zuko grunted above her and the fire flared to their right, filling the air with a staticky hot moisture that made her sweat and the ends of her hair curl. It was like that one string of exceptionally hot days last summer, and Zuko had been insatiable, as if the weather filled him with no end of energy.

The couch groaned underneath them, and Katara could feel him hot inside her and the heat was building and making her hot, and she needed that release. They both needed that release, and she rolled her nipples between two fingers as Zuko dropped her leg and grabbed her hips, slamming into her so hard that she could feel it at the very top of her head. She grabbed his wrists and held on, unable to even moan, just make little trembly breathy sounds.

And then he pulled out.

"What…what…"

She couldn't even form a coherent sentence, and Katara pushed herself off the couch, but Zuko only grabbed her hips and kissed her deeply, stroking her tongue with his, and his whole body was like a furnace, almost too hot to touch, and when he was away from her for those brief seconds, she felt his absence. She felt it in the diminishing of that tropical heat, and he groaned, getting a little warmer as she grabbed him and stroked him, and he pumped into her hand, his eyes closed. She watched him swallow thickly, but he was pushing her back slightly, turning her and bending her over the couch. A primal urge leapt inside her, and Katara couldn't help that delighted, sultry laugh as she presented her rear to him, biting her lip and watching him over her shoulder. He savored sliding into her, and before he had the change to start thrusting, Katara rolled and swirled her hips, moving up and down, and Zuko fell forward, taking her shoulder in his teeth as he braced himself against the couch. He growled low in his chest, and when he regained enough of himself he started with the hard thrusts again, and Katara could feel Zuko, his warmth, inside every part of her, and she reached back, grabbing at his hips, wanting to feel more of him. If there was even one part of her that might be a little bit cooler than any other, she wanted him there, warming it.

When her legs started to shake and tremble, Zuko supported her with an arm around her waist, never breaking stride, never letting her fall. The fire flickered bright blue beside them, and their breaths came in ragged gasps as they groaned, and the couch groaned, and flesh slapped against flesh, and he was shooting into her, and she'd never been so hot in her life. Not even when she'd gone to that Fire Nation spa and sat in the hot spring for an hour. Not when she had to strip down to her wrappings to train in the jungle during the war. Not any number of steamy nights she and Zuko had spent together over the years. The heat still mounted, and Zuko's thrusts slowed in speed, but not strength, and her eyes rolled a little further back every time he pushed into her, until her muscles convulsed and milked the last of him, and they collapsed over the arm of the couch.

Wouldn't they have fun explaining just _how_ they melted Gran and Pakku's house?

They just lay there, draped across the edge of the couch, and Zuko tried not to drop too much of his weight on her. She was too tired to move. Too tired to even take a bath and was the sweat off.

"Come on," Zuko said sliding out of her. "We should do something before someone walks in."

Zuko moved, but she didn't, just laying there and watching Zuko pick up the remnants of their clothes. He was still breathing heavily, too, and moving slowly. The fire was no longer pulsing, but the air was still tropical hot, and it pleased Katara to know that she was the one to make him lose control of his bending like that.

"You can't just lie there," Zuko said, slapping her butt.

It was more caress than slap, and her body shivered in response, and Katara wondered just how any part of her could be ready to go again. Slowly, she pushed off the couch, and on wobbly legs, she followed Zuko upstairs for a cool bath.

She made a mental note to give the house the once-over to make sure they didn't break anything. But first, a bath and a long nap.

* * *

><p>If this chapter were a person, I'd poke it in the eye. Seriously, I've rewritten this damn thing at least <em>four times<em>. I have changed the content of this chapter, losing several paragraphs I was quite fond of, scrapped girl talk, scrapped the sparring match, scrapped the sexy battle for dominance. *sigh* But here it is. I'm also incapable of following my author's notes, as this _is_ turning out to be something of a chaptered story, rather than a grouping of one-shots that can still stand on their own. -_- At least this chapter's done.

About Zuko's scar: I refused to believe that you can get burned by that and not suffer vision and hearing loss later in life. Given that he got it so young, I wouldn't be surprised if he had loss of periphery and night time vision early on, and total vision and hearing loss on his left side by the time he's...I don't know...60? So, yeah. Just more reason to hate Ozai.


	4. Whispering

Zuko groaned as he stood in the hawkery, finally checking for mail. A huge bundle tied with a length of leather was waiting for him, and Zuko could see fabric swatches threatening to escape. He was pretty sure he told them he didn't want any wedding updates. But then Katara had probably 'suggested' Hau ignore that because there was still too much to be done.

"Would you like to send a reply?" The man behind the counter asked, gesturing to paper and ink nearby.

"Not just now," Zuko said, paying the man. "Hang onto that eagle vulture, though. I might be sending this crap back."

The man chuckled and tipped his hat to Zuko, offering good luck with the planning. Outside, Zuko sifted through the bundle as he walked back to the house, flipping past guest lists, seating charts, and security arrangements. Among all the wedding madness, was a tiny update on political affairs that said everything was on track. Investigations were moving along as planned, no new plots had been discovered, the budgets on the agenda would be approved on time, and financial disbursements would begin soon. Zuko suspected that not everything was going smoothly, just that Hau wasn't telling him. Katara would say it's because Hau and Yina and the staff that he trusted were able to handle the routine squabbles without him, and would tell him if it was something important. Zuko sighed. He worried. He would always worry.

When he got back to Hakoda's, Zuko was surprised to find that Sokka was actually awake. And in the kitchen. Chuckling, Zuko hung up his coat and immediately took over tea preparation.

"Oh, so you don't trust me, either?" Sokka asked, not putting up much fight, choosing to sit down instead.

"I do trust you," Zuko said, starting the water boiling and dropping the tea leaves into the pot. "Just don't trust you to make a decent cup of morning tea. You're up early."

Almost as soon as he said it, Zuko regretted mentioning it. Sokka got a very sly look, the most evil smile slithering across his face. Sokka stretched, bringing his hands behind his head and extending his legs under the table.

"So, it's illegal for anyone but firebenders to get up early?" Sokka asked. "Besides, you gave a suggestion, I took your advice. Magic happened this morning, I tell you. _Magic_."

"Ha ha," Zuko said blandly, leaning against the counter. "I get it. This is payback. You can stop."

"No, really," Sokka said, doing his best to look imploring, "you have to understand just how great your advice was, Sifu Hotman!"

Sokka went on to explain in detail and with hand gestures just how 'magical' his morning with Suki had been. He was even making the faces, throwing his head back and using a high pitched voice for Suki, and thrusting with 'unf, unf' noises for himself. Zuko wanted nothing more than to not see that, but it was like going to the zoo and seeing two animals mate. You knew the simple, and less scarring, solution was to look away, but there was a deadly curiosity that wouldn't let you.

"Why are you doing this? You were supposed to knock!" Zuko said, just as Sokka was about to stand and properly demonstrate his 'technique.'

"Remember that little agreement we had when you proposed to my sister?" Sokka asked, shooting Zuko a sideways glance. "You clearly violated it. And several codes of Law that we set out ages ago."

"What? Me?" Zuko shot an accusatory finger at Sokka. "You're the one who doesn't understand what a closed door means! Besides, you're violating code now. Remember the thing about oversharing?"

The tea kettle screeched, and Zuko removed it, glad for an excuse to busy his mind with something else. The sound of morning tea tended to rouse others out of bed, and with other people came the hope that this horrible conversation between him and Sokka could end. He would forever have to look at Suki and hear Sokka's stupid impersonation in his head.

"You know, you were right about a little quality morning time," Sokka continued. "I feel…energized and ready for the day. You know what you should do—"

"Sokka, _please_ tell me you aren't gossiping about this morning," Suki said with a warning, and more than a bit of panic, justifiable given the escapades Sokka mimed.

Zuko turned to see Suki and Katara coming through the doorway and his heart nearly stopped. He swallowed past the lump in his throat as the gentle scent of moon peach blossoms that said Katara just got out of the bath reached him. Her hair was fluffy and curly, and it made him think of the way her skin was so soft and silky. There was something about the sight of Katara in red that made his brain melt. She was wearing one of her royal robes, tied loosely at the waist and trimmed in a deep gold. It contrasted and complimented her skin so beautifully, and she closed her eyes as she tossed her hair to the side and pulled it out from under the collar. Even in a simple bath robe, she was stunning. It might have been loose, but the robe did little to hide the swell of her breasts and the curves of her hips, and Zuko let his eyes roam over her as his stomach did little flips and flutters.

When Katara noticed him watching her, she smiled sweetly and brightly, walking to him with her arms open. Some days, he looked at Katara and couldn't ever figure out how she could ever love him, and on those days, he would tell himself not to question it. Just accept it and let her love him and love her in return. Zuko opened his arms and accepted her, and she stood on the tips of her toes, her arms thrown around his neck as she embraced him, burying her face in his neck, and he could smell her in all her moon peachy glory, and she was so warm and inviting. And since she was going to be _his_ wife, he saw no reason to let go of her if he wasn't ready. He kissed her neck, and she giggled, he delighted in those little giggles as he ran his hands over her back.

"So, do you ever intend to serve the tea, or what, Jerkbender?"

Reluctantly, Zuko let go of Katara, but felt a little colder when she was gone. She was always love and warmth to him. He had a pretty good idea of how he could make it up to her. Suki had put the two of them on decorations detail for the day, which would give him a chance to make some arrangements.

.O.

"What do you say we ditch decoration duty and take a walk?" Zuko asked.

They'd been running around all day, picking up decorations and supervising the placing of said decorations in the great hall. Katara had seemed distracted for most of the day, which made him curious. She'd been just as enthusiastic as Suki, only without the homicidal streak. It was weird to see her so subdued now.

"I don't think we should," Katara said, turning to face the hall. "There's still a lot to be done, and the wedding's only a few days away. You're always eager to ignore wedding preparations."

The hall was full of people, and Zuko thought everything was far enough along that the world could get by without them for a few hours. And perhaps he was avoiding weddings; it was tiring and tedious and often quite annoying. Everything had to be perfect, and there were so many little details, and too many people had opinions and no understanding of the concept of 'go to hell.'

"Consider it a break." Zuko walked up behind Katara, wrapping his arms around her. "We've been at it since this morning. I'm pretty sure they can get along without us for a bit."

Reluctantly, Katara agreed, giving Zuko her hand, and he led them out into the cold night. The stars were bright above them, and in the distance, bells rang at the docks to signal incoming ships. The cold air refreshed Katara a bit, and Zuko watched tension leave her body. Her shoulders loosened, and she smiled up at him. He brushed back a lock of hair, his hand lingering on her cheek, and she closed her eyes as he ran his thumb over her lips.

"Come on," Zuko said, nodding down the road.

He offered Katara his arm, and the two walked in silence toward the town center. The toll of the bell was joined by a steady beating drum, and as they neared a grouping of buildings, a small crowd was gathered around a glowing fire. Colored embers shot into the sky, and Katara moved them closer to the group. An elderly woman was squatting in front of the fire, tossing in a powder that made the fire change from deep red to blue to green, as she half sang, half chanted. Next to the old woman stood a young couple, the woman's stomach large with their child. Zuko noticed Katara's smile as she tugged him forward so they could get a better look.

"It's a blessing for the baby," she explained excitedly, stopping in front of him.

Again, Zuko wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him, and Katara sighed, leaning back against his chest. That was the future—theirs and Sokka and Suki's. Children. It didn't seem so long ago when Zuko thought of children as being in one of two categories: heirs and spares. There was no love in the equation, no want, no desire to blend yourself with another person out of love and happiness. The idea of children still unnerved him, and the idea of him as a father flat out scared him, but Katara was there, and he loved Katara. Occasionally, he thought about a child with eyes like hers, a little girl, the spitting image of her mother, beautiful and kind, passionate and firey, a mix of both elements. More often, he thought of the palace halls filled with childish laughter as a group of kids stampeded down the hallways, flinging elements in some game or another, and the havoc it would cause and the delight.

The old lady stepped back and motioned for the young mother to be to step forward, and she waddled closer to the fire, taking up the sing-song chant, and Zuko heard a snort off to his right. A group of guys were gesturing in their direction, malicious smirks on their faces as they made eye contact with Zuko. One spat on the ground before covering his left eye and miming being in pain. His friends laughed, slapped him on the back. Zuko's first instinct to retaliate, but wasn't a hotheaded teenager anymore. He wouldn't give in to that.

Now, both parents were tossing powder into the fire, and the stark colors reflected on the faces of the gathered. It made him think of the Southern Lights, and thinking of the Southern Lights made him think of the time he saw them with Katara. It was a miracle they'd escaped detection, though now, he wouldn't be surprised if Hakoda had actually seen them, huddled together under blankets and watching the sky. There might have been more kissing and snuggling than sky watching, but that had only added to the magic of the moment. Everything seemed so much more beautiful under that sky.

"Would you want to come back for this?" Zuko asked. "I mean, when we have kids?"

Katara turned, a little stunned. "Would…could we?"

"Of course. We're Fire Lord and Fire Lady. We can pretty much do whatever we want."

Katara threw her arms around Zuko's neck, and he hugged her as she squealed with delight. People turned to watch them, some smiling and shaking their heads before turning back to the ceremony. Others lingered. Zuko tried to ignore them, and hoped that Katara didn't see them. Someone was always watching them. When Katara kissed him, it was sweet and chaste, but no less full of love and desire. Her eyes shone brightly, and Zuko kissed her again just because such a simple thing made her so happy.

"You know," she said, "we never talked about children before."

Zuko took her hand and began leading her away from the fire as the crowd dispersed. As they walked, they passed that group of guys again. One stepped forward, clearly looking at Katara and making sure Zuko saw that he was looking at Katara. He gave a nearly imperceptible, but very forceful, thrust of his hips in her direction, then looked Zuko up and down. Challenging him.

"Zuko?"

He tore his gaze away from those with a death wish to look at his fiancée. She smiled sweetly, her head tilted to the side, but there was a hardness in her eyes. If he was anyone else, Zuko could retaliate without much incident. Because he was the Fire Lord, and would always be the Fire Lord, crown or not, anything he did would receive more attention than it should. He followed Katara away from the fire, and she grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze.

"I know," she said, and there was sadness and pain in her voice.

.O.

There was a low cliff overlooking the ocean that Zuko used when he wanted to meditate. He built them a fire while Katara laid out blankets and the basket that held their dinner. Zuko watched her across the fire as she pulled out the two bottles of ice wine and shoved them into the snow. He was used to negative attention, had received it most of his life, but Katara was the pride of the South. She was the last Southern waterbender, had freed the Avatar. She'd become a master at fourteen, and made sure the Avatar knew how to manipulate the element well enough to defeat the Fire Lord. She'd returned to her home triumphant, had proved to be as much of a force—if not more—than her grandmother. The South credited her with convincing their sister tribe to help out. Master Pakku had arrived, an otherwise grumpy man, praising her like he praised none other.

"You're awfully moody today," Katara said.

She'd finished laying out their dinner, and was standing with her hands at the throat of her parka, ready to unbutton it. Zuko shrugged and came to join her, unbuttoning his own parka as they got down on the pallet of furs. Maybe he was just more sensitive to such things, but Zuko never missed the way some people looked at him. Like he was a thief. Like he was unworthy. Like he was still the enemy. He saw the way they looked at _her_. Like she was a traitor, like she was filth. He heard some whisper that Katara was the only one who could control him. Some said it was a sacrifice they were willing to make if it meant continued peace. Some said that Katara was making the ultimate sacrifice, not only for her tribe, but for the world. She would do what the Avatar couldn't do. They were glad Chief Hakoda went along with his daughter's brilliant plan.

He'd been so lost in his thoughts that Zuko missed it when Katara kissed him. She was frowning at him as she pulled more furs around them, cocooning them together. She kissed him again, holding his face in her hands, caressing his scar and running her tongue along his lips until he opened up for her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She shivered despite the furs insulating them, and Zuko warmed his body and pulled her into his lap.

He never doubted her love, but it didn't make those whispers hurt any less.

"Where are you?" Katara asked as she pulled away, running her hands through his hair.

Zuko shrugged. "Lots of places. But I like being here the best."

Zuko poured the wine, and they'd drunk an entire bottle before even starting on the food, and by the time they got to dessert and the second bottle, Zuko was already feeling lighter, warmed from the inside, and he heated the chocolate because Katara loved it best when it was warm and gooey. Smiling, Katara dipped her finger in the warm chocolate and sucked it off. She closed her eyes and moaned pleasurably.

While her eyes were closed, her head tilted to the side as she savored her sweets, Zuko kissed her neck, eliciting a surprised gasp from Katara. He flicked his tongue along her pulse, and she maneuvered herself even closer to him, her hands running over his back and neck. He kissed his way to her lips, and Katara responded with much enthusiasm, pressing her whole body against his, and Zuko moved his hands from her waist down to her legs, helping her to straddle him.

Some would say she was just a good actress, that she knew what to do to make him think she loved him. They would say that her moans and kisses and touches were fake, that this was her greatest power, to make him submit to her. He'd heard it everywhere they went, not only in the South, but in the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom as well. He'd heard old people and young people whisper it. He'd heard some people say it with pity, others with delight.

Zuko made quick work of the belt that held Katara's shirt closed, slipping the garment off her shoulders. It was warm beneath the blankets, and the fire flared beside them as Zuko smiled at Katara. He wondered just how much shopping she and Ty Lee had done. Her chest heaved, straining against the deep red fabric, embroidered with little golden flames. Zuko traced a flame over her nipple, and Katara threw her head back, her chest rising and falling a little faster.

"Is this what you've been spending all your money on?"

Katara smiled devilishly, tugging at his shirt. "You should see what _else_ I've got."

It was a bit more of a struggle to maneuver out of their pants while remaining under the blankets, and the wine wasn't helping, either. As the clothes came off it became warmer under the furs, and Zuko started to shrug them off, but Katara grabbed them before they slipped away. If she was an actress, only pretending to love him as much as she did, Zuko thought she deserved every award and even the crown and title of Fire Lady. As he cupped her bottom and slipped his tongue in her mouth, her hard nipples grazing his chest, he wondered just how anyone could believe she was faking it. He ran his hands up her inner thighs and she shivered, moaning into his mouth.

With every arch of her back, every quiver, every moan, she whispered her love and devotion to him, and these whispers always drowned out rumors and vulgar words. When she ran her hands down his chest until she had him firmly in her grasp, Zuko buried his face in her neck, still finding the remnants of moon peach blossoms so close to her skin. She stroked him just the way he liked, her grip firm, building speed as he hardened even more. Breathing erratically, he bit her shoulder, his hands massaging her thighs, seeking out her core, and she whimpered as he ran his fingers lightly along her, barely touching that bud.

She pressed her forehead against his, her hand at the back of his neck, as their breath mingled as he slipped a finger inside her, curling it and stroking sensitive places. Her body quivered, and she timed her hand to his, and he added a second finger as she rolled her hips, and they moved together, their lips barely touching, their eyes open and saying so much across the short distance between them. Zuko grunted as he felt her muscles contract around his fingers, using his thumb to rub her clit. Katara's eyes fluttered and she moaned his name, the roll of her hips becoming more insistent, and every time she ground down on him, she let out a little whimper that carried the hint of his name.

If this was an act, Zuko was glad to be fooled.

"Please," she whispered, her mouth against his neck, her hand lost in his hair. "Please, Zuko."

He was sure he'd lose it when she hovered over him, teasing herself, and Zuko tried to keep his grip from becoming too painful on her legs. It was becoming unbearably hot under those furs, and steam curled off Katara's exposed shoulder, and he was sure that he would combust and set them both on fire. Katara still hovered over him, sliding him back and forth across her slit, and he swallowed thickly.

"Katara, I don't…I don't think I can…"

It was hard to form a coherent sentence, and even as he tried to pull her down onto him, she resisted. Half her mouth was curved into a smile, and Zuko kissed that little half smile of hers, trying to pull her down again, but she wouldn't move.

"Do you want to last?" she asked, and Zuko could only nod.

His peak receded, Katara's hand moving up his chest, and her lips were on his neck, not kissing, just touching. Slowly, she began to lower herself onto him, and Zuko's temperature shot up and the fire flared a brilliant red, and their breath steamed into the night. With Katara, he could release all control of his bending, and still feel safe. He didn't have to be on guard with her, and she never abused this trust. Their chests heaved together, and Katara sweetly brushed back hair that stuck to his face, her hand resting on his scar as she moved on top of him. She didn't close her eyes, staring directly into his as he grabbed her ass and ground into her as much as he could. He wanted to be swallowed by her, to bury himself inside her and her love, and to never be released.

Katara guided his head to her breasts, and Zuko readily obliged, tugging slightly at the furs to release a little more of the heat, and Katara let out a loud moan as the cold air hit their skin, their steam mixing with the smoke of the fire. Zuko pulled away just to watch her, her head tossed back, one hand rubbing herself as she moaned his name while she rode him. The fire flared again, and Zuko rolled them, tugging the furs over the snow to protect her back from the cold, and Katara growled low in her throat as she grabbed at his hips and pulled him down into her. She was an arctic wolf, and in this night, under the stars and with two bottles of wine, Zuko was more than happy to fully submit to her will, to be her prey, and when she demanded more, he gave her more, and when she wrapped her legs around his waist, he laid down against her as she clawed his back, arching into him as she clenched around him.

Katara bit his arm painfully, and Zuko grunted with his head next to hers, pushing deeper and feeling his peak come again. When Katara shoved against his shoulder, he didn't resist, letting her roll him as the furs completely slipped away, releasing a cloud of steam, and the moan she let out was so loud, and it echoed out against the ocean. Zuko hadn't been aware of the crash of the water against the rocks below them until that moment as the tiger seals wailed in complaint. Her hands were on his chest as she slammed her hips against his, and Zuko couldn't help but whimper her name, feeling it escape her lips like a prayer for this to never stop. His heart was straining against his chest, and his pulse was booming in his ears, but he wouldn't tell Katara to slow down or stop.

When she kissed him this time, her mouth was rough against his, demanding his love, and he gave it to her, nearly unable to breathe, and it was far too hot, even exposed to the cold as they were. Her nails dug into his chest as she struggled for breath, but she still rolled into him even as she convulsed and the tiger seals complained again.

Their clothes lay rumpled and forgotten in the snow, the fire and the ocean returned to their own devices. Zuko heaved for air, weakly trying to throw the furs back over them, knowing he wouldn't be able to warm them with his bending for a long time. Katara's head was pillowed on his chest, and he could still feel her trembling, occasionally her muscles still spasming around him.

"What if we die out here because we're too weak to go back?" Zuko asked between gasps.

Katara laughed weakly and kissed his chest. "Give me a bit and I'll bend us that hut you wanted."

Katara tended to wear her heart on her sleeve. Zuko knew her moods, her pleasures and her pains. He knew the first moment he acknowledged love for her in his heart that there would always be people who talked. There would always be people who had a problem with him, and them together. Lazily, Katara moved her arms, bending the snow and turning it into ice around them. She rested a bit before adding a chimney, but not bothering to bend a door. Not that they'd be leaving any time before morning.

"Katara—"

She kissed him passionately, one hand resting on his lightning scar.

"I love you, Zuko," she said, kissing all of his scars.

"I know."

* * *

><p>This chapter is quite long! Hope you enjoyed it. I injured my finger, so that's why this is late. It's getting better, though. The next chapter shouldn't take so long.<p>

'No Underwear' brought up in the reviews that I'm always writing Katara in 20th century clothes. For me, tunic=shirt, sash=belt. I use waistband because I'm not really sure what to call it other than 'the waist of her pants/skirt/underwear,' which is essentially saying the same thing with more words. It's the waist of the pants. When I write, I'm not picturing anything elastic, though I do wonder how some garments stay up, like Mai's skirt in The Beach. And I'll totally fess up to artistic license with Katara's sexy lingerie. I do try to stay away from mentioning things like clasps, though. Mostly, I picture them in variations of their season 3 clothes. Although, the Fire Nation does have shirts that you pull over your head.

Here's the problem, though: the show's _not_ explicit about what time period it's based on. The show's got obvious influences from real historical periods, you're right, but it sticks to that and deviates from it at odd times. Aang's underwear can't be considered a loincloth. His was more along the lines of briefs. Sokka and Katara were the only ones who wore something that could be wrapped around them (which really doesn't make much sense to me, but whatever), and Toph wears something akin to a sports bra and shorts (which I could have sworn had a drawstring on them). Unfortunately, we never got to see Zuko in his undies, so we don't know what he wears. For another story I wrote, I researched ancient Chinese underthings, and what I found was absolutely nothing like anything that ever appeared in the show. So I went for practicality instead. A girl wants support. It's not comfortable to have your boobs flopping all over the place, and those little gauze strips Katara had aren't ever going to support anything, so I do 'cheat' a bit there, and imagine the women wearing something that's going to give proper support.

Ultimately, I think the art directors were going for something along the lines of fitting the climate, which makes sense. By that logic, I think Fire Nation undies would be a bit more miniscule. Also, given Ty Lee's bikini in The Beach, I wouldn't be surprised if something more along the lines of modern bras and panties existed in the Fire Nation. Basically, that's what Ty Lee was wearing. And it's all underwear to me. It was a weird mental diversion to think about Underthings of the Avatar World. I do like that this author's note is all about underwear, though :D


	5. Commencing

The fire must have gone out, as the air above the furs was cool. Zuko also must have gotten his bending back because Katara was quite toasty. She smiled even though her head was pounding, thinking about last night and feeling naughty. There had been a look in Zuko's eyes, something in the set of his face, that made her heart flutter and her body tremble. He gave himself to her, completely and fully, and she had done the same, letting go of her bending, and feeling the power surge through her. It was an amazing feeling, and even though the moon wasn't near to being full, she'd felt so aware of the water around her, of the push and pull of the ocean beneath them. It was _amazing_.

Zuko moved behind her, grinding his hips into her, his hand caressing her thigh. She was about to make a joke regarding his stamina, but he settled down, his hand resting on her lower stomach, and Katara realized that Zuko was still asleep. With a wave of her arm, she turned part of the ceiling transparent, and saw that it was still night outside. A sliver of moon was barely visible in the little window.

"Mmmm… Katara…"

Katara giggled, wondering what they were doing in his dream. She could figure the general details, but she wanted specifics. He moaned her name again, nuzzling her neck. Her head throbbed, and Katara reluctantly wiggled out of Zuko's grasp, tucking the furs around him. She pulled on her clothes and grabbed her parka. They'd need water if they were going to be less than grumpy in the morning for Suki and Sokka's cleansing ritual, which was always held the day before the wedding. Having some of Uncle's hangover tea would be best, but they'd have to make do with what they had.

Bending a door, Katara stepped outside and stretched her back. She shivered and hugged her elbows, missing Zuko's warmth. She took a few steps forward into the night, intending to stretch her legs and gather water from the snow, but she stumbled over a mound.

"The hell is this?" she asked the wild, nudging it with her toe.

The mound collapsed a bit, and Katara dug with her hands, smiling when she uncovered a basket. It was a care package, complete with four giant jugs of water, more firewood, food, and the ingredients for that hangover tea. And a note. From their parents.

_Hakoda was very concerned when you two didn't come back. Kanna assured him that you would be safe, but we worried_, the first part read in Ursa's careful script. _Against Kanna's wishes, Hakoda and I came looking for you. We were pleased to find that you two have shelter, but there is no door. We could not properly check on you. Please remedy this, Katara. It is always best to have a way out in an emergency. You may think not many emergencies can happen in a one roomed hut isolated on a cliff, but my travels have taught me to be prepared for anything. Zuko, keep Katara warm through the night. She likes to kick the furs off sometimes._

Chuckling, Katara hunched down to read the rest of the note, this written in her father's usual hurried script. She rolled her eyes at the first line.

_Stay away from the coast—you know it's tiger seal mating season, and I don't want to be forced to spear every tiger seal from here to the North Pole in revenge. I wish you would have let someone know you were planning to spend the night in a hut on the edge of a cliff. I'm looking at you, Zuko, because you like to be the 'plan guy,' right along with Sokka. Iroh also sends some of his hangover cure. I understand that you'll need it after two bottles of arctic wine. Take care of each other and stay warm. Remember to mind your fire. I told you about Koda and the time his fire got out of control and he damaged his house beyond all repair. Zuko, keep Katara warm through the night. She likes to kick the furs off sometimes. Be back in time for the cleansing ritual._

Taking the care package in her hands, Katara couldn't help feeling loved. Hakoda and Ursa were such _parents_. They knew she and Zuko were master benders, but still worried about them succumbing to the cold or getting crushed by angry mating tiger seals. Her father was fond of saying she'd understand when she had her own cubs. When her children were as old as she and Zuko, she'd be glad shoo them for a bit and have time for her and Zuko again.

When she stepped inside again, Zuko was awake, the furs down around his waist. A little light came in from the skylight, casting a pale, silverish sheen on him. He was resting with his head in his hand, his hair hanging about his shoulders, framing his face, and his eyes opened slightly when she stepped in. Katara's biggest urge was to touch him. To run her hands over every inch of him, to feel him. She devoured every visible inch, his bare chest and back, the way half of him was cast into shadow, highlighting the definition in his muscles, making him look like a statue to be worshipped. He smiled, the corner of his mouth turning up, and he motioned her over with a jerk of his head.

Katara held out the basket, hoping to distract him while she tried to remember how words worked to form a sentence. Zuko chuckled when she still didn't say anything. He leaned forward to grab at the pile of clothes, and the furs slipped down a little further, and Katara eyed his exposed hip, licking her lips, and regretting that he was putting his pants on.

"Tea," she said weakly, following the movement of the fabric as it covered him.

Zuko chuckled again, picking through the basket. "Tea, and food, and water, and firewood."

They drained a jug of water and a pot of the tea before crawling back under the furs. Zuko was laying with his head on her chest, and she was braiding sections of his hair, thinking back to his dream and the way he was moaning her name. Even in his sleep, his touch was gentle and caressing, just like it was then, as he stroked her side.

"You know," Katara said, dropping the section she'd been braiding, "you've been given instructions to keep me warm."

"Have I?"

Zuko propped himself up on his elbows and smiled cheekily at her. Katara returned the smile, pretending to shiver. She wrapped her arms around herself and curled up as much as she could underneath him.

"Well, I wouldn't want to be disobedient. Where are you feeling chill?"

Katara giggled as he pulled her hair to the side to kiss her neck. He kissed her shoulder and her collarbone, then looked down at her again. Katara tapped her lips, and Zuko kissed her, little pecks that increased in length and intensity until she was rubbing her hands over his chest and his back, trying to pull him down to her with her tongue in his mouth.

"Perhaps there is a deeper cold I need to warm," Zuko said, moving his mouth back to her neck. "Maybe it's here."

Zuko's kisses trailed lower until they were at the neck of her shirt, and he nudged it open a bit more with his nose. When he kissed her skin, his lips were warm, and Katara moaned lightly as he ran his hand down her leg. A real shiver went through her when she felt his warmth through her clothes.

"Or," Zuko said, looking into her eyes, "maybe you need me _here_."

His hand slipped between her legs, and she gasped, arching into his touch. He teased her through her pants, circling places he knew by heart, and Katara rolled her hips against his hand, encouraging more friction. Practicality might have said it was a good idea to get fully dressed before stepping out into the cold, but practicality should have also told her to get undressed when she came back inside. The quickest way to warm someone was with body heat, and the best way to transfer body heat was direct skin-to-skin contact. If they were 'following directions,' there was no reason not to go all out.

"Warm me," Katara said, pulling at her shirt. "I want to feel you warm inside me."

Smirking, Zuko slipped his hand inside her pants, running his hand along the inside of her thigh and making her whimper. He raised his eyebrow as he moved aside her underwear, his hands, his whole body comfortably warm, and Katara swallowed thickly as his fingers began to move inside her.

"Oh, Zuko, _yes_…" she moaned, drawing out the 's' like a hiss, dragging her nails along his back.

She grabbed onto his arm, and with his teeth, he untied her shirt, never stopping his movements, and Katara let out a loud moan, throwing her head back. Zuko slowed his pace, and Katara lazily opened her eyes to look at him.

"Katara, I…" He looked at her a measure before shrugging.

"Stop, Zuko. Don't."

"I just wanted you to know."

She knew it all.

"I know."

She knew his love for her and his hate for painful things said about them. She knew that he wanted nothing more than to please her, and that she wanted nothing more than to please him. She knew that he would devote his life to her, that he would make time for them to travel to the South to get each and every child of theirs blessed by her ancestors, even if they had twenty of them. When he pulled her pants down past her hips, she knew that his heart was in her hands, just as she'd known for a long time. When his pants came off, she knew that he trusted her with his life, and when she took more than his body in her hands, she knew that she could never betray him.

She reassured him with her lips and her hips, her hand in his as they moved together to find bliss.

.O.

Katara yawned, ignoring Jun's knowing look. They were standing outside the small hut that Suki and Sokka built as the first part of the ritual. She and Zuko were supposed to be there to watch Suki and Sokka build the hut, but other matters had kept them occupied. Hakoda was standing at the front of the crowd, Sokka and Suki on either side of him.

"Before a couple is married in the South, we give them a chance to cleanse themselves," Hakoda said to those gathered. "This ritual cleansing is one of divulging secrets and truths in order to create and maintain trust through the years. In the South, we need our family units to be strong to help the whole tribe through the harsh winters. To remain strong, we need to know each other. We are our greatest allies. And, ultimately, our greatest potential enemies."

Hakoda had given them a stern look for their tardiness, but said nothing. He finished explaining the ritual, how they would either accept or reject their potential spouse, cleanse themselves with ocean water, and ask the ancestors to bless their union. Zuko put his arm around her waist, and Katara leaned against him. It was a simple gesture, and the warmth she felt came from inside more than from Zuko.

As per custom, Hakoda inspected the hut, then held the flap open for Sokka and Suki to enter. In about a year, Hakoda would be inspecting another hut, only it would be her and Zuko entering. Katara didn't try to suppress her smile, her hand instinctively going to her necklace. She looked up at Zuko, and he kissed her forehead. So sweet, so soft, so gentle.

"We're expected to go through the same thing, right?" Zuko asked.

"Of course. It's part of Southern tradition."

"And we're going to ask my ancestors to bless us? Me, the traitorous bastard Fire Lord who destroyed everything they worked for? Marrying the enemy?"

Katara frowned. Sometimes she just wanted to hit him. Instead, as the crowd began to thin and aware of the eyes on them, Katara patted his cheek. Zuko only shook his head in disbelief, chuckling softly.

"You've got other ancestors, remember? And you told me one Fire Lord married an earthbender. Stop being so pessimistic."

"Yeah, but who do you think the most vocal are going to be?"

Katara threw her arms around his neck to kiss away that lopsided smile of his, but Hakoda was marching over. She still felt a little sheepish kissing Zuko when her father was watching. Especially after that time he walked in on them when they were having a bit of kinky fun. For the longest, he wouldn't touch chocolate, probably because he'd seen it slathered all over his naked and bound daughter, and her equally naked fiancé. Clearing her throat and shoving her hands inside her pockets, Katara smiled sweetly at her father.

"You two have morning dish duty since you were late," Hakoda said. "And try not to be late for this evening's feast."

Slowly, the three trudged up the steps to their house, and Katara tried her hardest not to think about the reasons for their being late. She was sure her father wanted to know nothing about that. Katara unbuttoned her parka and headed for the kitchen to survey the damage Sokka's nervous eating had done. She was done thinking about the thrust of Zuko's hips, or his lips on her neck and her chest and her thighs, or that thing he did with his tongue that made the ends of her hair curl because the dishes were stacked high on the table and the counter. Hakoda waved and headed upstairs.

"Looks like we missed quite the meal," Zuko said, looking sadly at the plates. "I bet Gran made omelets again."

"Yes, well… Our morning wasn't so bad, was it?"

Katara had started the water in the sink when she felt Zuko pressing against her, placing his hands on the counter on either side of her. He brushed his lips along her neck like he had when he was trying to 'warm' her, and she shivered.

"Oh, I think our morning was beautiful."

Katara giggled as her mind hopped aboard the dirty train again while Zuko got gropey behind her, and she rolled her hips against him. They'd been young and largely inexperienced when they first started messing around, but it didn't matter back then. They'd practiced on each other, learning what caused a moan or a giggle. They learned the places on each other bodies that triggered every emotion. She knew where to touch to make his heart fill with sadness and pain, and she knew where to kiss to wash that sadness away.

She washed, then handed the dishes over her shoulder for Zuko to dry. They used their bending to speed up the process, and were moving quickly through the stacks. They washed in a comfortable silence, and Katara still found it amazing that their moods could switch effortlessly from cheeky to tender to quietly comfortable without much effort, and they moved in sync. She considered that their time in the Hut of Truth, as Sokka was fond of calling it, could possibly be the shortest in their tribe's history. When he was done drying the dishes, Zuko wrapped his arms around her waist, and Katara leaned back into him.

What new secrets would he have to tell her? They'd been sharing secrets for so long already. They'd shared more than secrets, and there was no person she trusted in the world more than she trusted Zuko. There was no one who even came close. They hardly shared secrets anymore, but Katara found that she didn't miss it; they didn't need it like they did during the war. They didn't hide anything from each other, but there was some intangible ease that was different from what they had when they'd first started. She'd never hesitate to tell Zuko anything, but just knowing that he was hers, that he would always be hers… It made her feel secure. Solid.

"What would you tell me when we go into the hut?" she asked, smoothing down his sleeve as he kissed her cheek.

"What haven't I told you?"

Katara turned to face him, taking his hands in hers. The past year had been hard for them both. It was like looking at Zuko, but being unable to touch him. A gulf had formed between them, and though their love stretched across it, their arms couldn't. Far away from him in the colonies checking up on hospitals and schools, Katara had only his letters to comfort her. She'd listened to the stories the older women told, the way their marriages had been arranged, and how there was never any love.

"When I was on Ren Island a few months ago," Katara said, resting her head on Zuko's chest, "a noblewoman told me she envied me more than I could ever know."

"Why?" He wrapped his arms around her.

"Because she couldn't marry the man she loved. And she couldn't love the man she married."

The woman's story was haunting, even as the noblewoman praised the beauty of the tears in Katara's eyes. Of course there had been lots of wine, and that was probably the only reason the old woman said these things to Katara, but as she'd looked into that wrinkled face and those clouded golden eyes, Katara had thought about all the things they could have lost. She balled Zuko's shirt in her fists, took a shaking breath. The old woman's parents had disapproved of her love; his rank and status weren't enough, and so they'd married her to a man ten years older than her.

"She told me… She said the day before she married her husband, she married her lover in a secret ceremony. It wasn't anything official. Just the two of them, a pot of tea, and their love. At sunset, they said their vows before Agni, asked blessing for their love, and drank the tea."

Zuko ran his fingers through her hair, and when she looked up at him, he cupped her cheeks and kissed her tenderly, his lips molding perfectly against hers. She didn't even realize there were tears until Zuko was kissing them away.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I know the woman you're talking about."

"So you know what happened to her."

Zuko nodded, his eyes closed.

Before Katara left Ren Island, she'd attended the old woman's funeral.

.O.

Katara stared in the mirror. She'd always loved getting dressed up. Until recently, the chance to be fancy hadn't come terribly often. They didn't have balls and masquerades in the South when she was younger; the need to be practical was too great. With the war over, there was more of an opportunity to show off. Katara smiled. Showing off was a great way to put it.

"Are you trying to upstage me?" Suki asked goodnaturedly. "I'm the bride, you know."

Katara turned to embrace her friend. Suki was beautiful in her blue gown with its swooping neckline, the collar rimmed in white fur. The green stone of her engagement necklace glinted and caught the light from the fire. She turned so Katara could see all of her dress, and Katara nodded approvingly. Outside the snow was falling lightly, night having descending, bringing with it a fresh coating of snow.

"I know several people who would say this past week has been nothing but good signs for your marriage," Katara said, leaning on the windowsill.

"Oh? How so?"

Suki came to join her, and the two stared out at the softly falling flakes.

"Well, for one, new snow is falling tonight, and today is the day you and Sokka accepted each other and were blessed by the ancestors. And it only took you two about an hour, which, frankly, surprises me."

"New snow refreshing the world, huh?" Suki gave her a little nudge. "As for the length of time, let's just say Sokka and I had to negotiate a few things. What else makes this special?"

Katara smiled. "Your love has brought others closer together."

She touched her engagement necklace, felt the groves of the ocean waves carved into the red jasper. She moved her fingers over the onyx and the pearls, felt the edges of the yellow topaz. Her smile grew, and she bit the inside of her cheeks. Suki only laughed and placed her hand on Katara's arm.

"I hope the two of you never lose that feeling. It's beautiful."

"Don't you feel the same about Sokka?" Katara asked, looking curiously at Suki.

"Of course I do, oaf that he is sometimes." Suki tilted her head to the side. "That's how I know it's so beautiful. I can feel it in my heart. I don't think I really understood just what people meant when they talked about this feeling."

"I know. It's hard to describe. But it just…warms you, right at your very center."

"It makes you feel invincible."

"It makes you feel perfect," Katara giggled.

"It makes you _whole_."

And that was really it, wasn't it? It was like the spirits split you in half before they sent you to your parents, and the greatest fulfillment in your life was finding your other half and merging in some way.

"You know what else is nice?" Katara asked, putting on her earrings. "Sometimes it's like he's seeing me for the first time, and he's just stunned, and he tells me how beautiful I am. Like it's something he rediscovers every morning."

Suki laughed. "Isn't that just the best? It just makes you feel so…_desired_."

"I bet I can make Zuko more speechless than you can make Sokka," Katara said with a sideways glance and a smile.

Five minutes later, both were ready to make their entrance, having made little adjustments to their outfits for the greatest effect.

"May the best manipulator win," Suki said over her shoulder, making her way down the stairs.

Katara followed just behind Suki, holding up the end of her dress. She caught Zuko's eye almost immediately, his attention zeroing in on her. She had her hair pinned up, exposing her neck and her necklace. It stood out as the only thing that was red. Her dress was close fitting and a deep blue, a row of tiny, perfect circular whalebone buttons down the back. Zuko held his arms open to her, and gracefully, Katara glided into them, accepting his kiss and spinning around for him.

Then Zuko did a double take, only he wasn't looking at Katara anymore.

"Mom, what are you _wearing_?" he screeched.

Ursa smiled sweetly at her son, dressed as a water tribe woman, her dress no less curve hugging than Katara's.

Sokka was still trying to bumble out a compliment to Suki.

.O.

Katara reached behind her with one hand, searching frantically for the doorknob while Zuko worked on the buttons on the back of her dress. She kissed his neck, sucking and biting, and Zuko growled, grabbing her butt. Finally she found the doorknob, and they practically fell into one of the private meeting rooms in the great hall.

They'd stayed among the other revelers at the feast to celebrate Sokka and Suki's acceptance of each other for two hours before sneaking away. It was a record. They'd listened to speeches from family friends, old women recounting tales of Sokka's exploits as a child, drunken warriors talking about Sokka's prowess with a sword and reluctantly admitting to having been beaten by Suki. Good signs had been enumerated, twelve different alcohols passed around, songs were sung, and drums were beaten.

"Dammit, Katara…"

Zuko was struggling with the buttons on her dress, his concentration no doubt being hindered by said alcohol, and Katara rubbing him through his pants and sucking on a spot just below his jaw.

"Wait, don't burn my dress," Katara said, breathing heavily and pushing away when she felt the heat at her back. "I like this dress."

"I like it too, but right now, I'd like it better if it was off of you."

Smirking, Katara stepped away from Zuko, making short work of the buttons. Getting him out of his clothes was quick and easy, and he stood before her in only his underwear, that tantalizing bulge waiting for her, calling to mind all the times he'd been inside her, the way he'd been insider her that very morning.

"I have a surprise for you," Katara said, her voice deep and sultry.

The corner of Zuko's mouth rose in his signature smirk, and he stalked around her, and he ran his warm hand up her spine, kissed her neck, as he ground his hips into her, his hands at her waist.

"I've got a surprise for _you_," he said.

A group of people passed by the door, their loud, drunken laughter carrying through. Panting, Katara slowly let the dress slip down one shoulder as she turned to face Zuko, exposing a thin golden strap. Zuko raised his eyebrow in question, but made no move to help her. Carefully, trying to maintain her balance after having had quite a bit to drink herself, Katara stepped out of her dress, keeping herself covered. Zuko licked his lips, but when she draped the dress over the back of a chair, his jaw fell.

"Do you like it?" she asked.

"Holy…_fucking_ Agni."

Katara took the edges of the tiny skirt that barely reached her hips and curtseyed, giving him a view of the barely existent panties underneath.

"I got this made just for this trip. Do you like it?"

Zuko could barely even nod, his eyes drinking in the sight of her, the way the gold silk complimented her skin.

"That is the single greatest thing the Fire Nation has _ever_ made."

Katara smiled, ran her hands over the smooth silk, pinching her nipples, and moving to undo the little bow between her breasts that held the upper wrappings closed. It loosened, and Katara shrugged out of it, and Zuko was on her, lifting her by the backs of her thighs, and when he kissed her, his kiss was rough, and Katara yanked his hair as she wrapped her legs around his waist. She didn't stifle any moans when he licked her nipple with his hot tongue, or when he began to suckle, sitting her on top of the long table and looming over her.

Frantically, they removed the rest of their clothing, words no longer needed as moans and grunts took over, and Katara had him in her hand, stroking hard as he bit her ear. Roughly shoving her hand away, Zuko grabbed her hips and slid her to the edge of the table, entering her with one thrust that slammed his hips against hers, and Katara threw her head back against the table, not caring that she'd bashed her head against the hard wood, only caring about the ecstasy of him hot inside her and his fingers digging into her hips.

Throwing herself against his chest and wrapping her arms around his neck again, Katara rolled against Zuko, meeting his every thrust with a forceful one of her own, clenching her muscles to pull him deeper and deeper inside of her. She wound his hair around her hands, shoving her mouth against his, then biting at his jaw and his neck, and Zuko brought his palm down on her backside, hard.

"Yes!" Katara screamed, dragging her nails down his back and making him growl. "Harder," she demanded, and he obliged, his hand coming down on her again as he slammed into her, sending vibrations through her entire body.

"Who's the polar leopard now?" Zuko asked, the skin of her neck between his teeth.

Usually, Zuko was the aggressive one, but Katara had missed this animalistic urge too much, and wasn't about to let the chance slip by her. She could feel everything swirling around inside her, could feel the heat pooling in Zuko and seeping into her, and she laid back, scooting her hips to the very edge of the table, wanting there to be nothing preventing him from being totally inside of her, and Zuko trailed hot kisses up her stomach and between her breasts, and his forehead was against hers, and his eyes were closed, and he groaned and moaned her name, and her eyes rolled back as the heat was too much and people were walking past again, probably listening to the sounds coming from within.

A shudder went through Zuko, his entire body shaking, and his warmth spread through her and that shudder spread through her, and Katara gasped for air, still clutching at Zuko's shoulders and his back, him still kissing her face and her neck, his arms struggling to support his weight and failing. Panting, gasping just as hard as she was, Zuko collapsed on top of Katara, and she wrapped her shaking legs around him as he gave two final thrusts, and they lay still, hoping to breathe.

Katara pulled a few strands of hair away from Zuko's face. She made a little noise of protest when he pulled out of her, and collapsed into a chair.

"Is that why you were shivering on the way here?" Zuko asked.

"It was so worth it, just to see your face."

* * *

><p>:D If this feels disjointed in any way, I'm blaming it on me taking huge breaks between writing. Then I'm going to blame work. I'm not sure what else to say about this chapter. I tried to remember that there was a reason for Zuko and Katara being in the South (duh, the wedding!), and so we get a bit of Southern tradition. Admittedly, part of this idea was taken from His Majesty Prefers Blue, but it also came from something I looked up a long, long time ago. I liked the idea of a cleansing ritual, and given that the South operated as a closely knit family, I thought it would work well for them. Next chapter, comes the wedding! I'll actually go into more detail with that, but I've got to finalize how that's going to look.<p>

Anyway, thank you to all my lovely reviewers! Your reviews make me smile, and those smiles mean even more when I'm dealing with idiots at work. I always love to hear what you have to say!


	6. Loving

The crowd that came out to see Suki and Sokka get married was absolutely massive. When they were a smaller tribe, it was understood that everyone would attend weddings and funerals, and even birthdays sometimes. It made Katara feel good to know that at least some of that spirit was still alive. She and Zuko were standing toward the front of the crowd with the rest of their family, watching as tribesmen beat against drums, sending out a steady thrum that reverberated across the ground. Katara closed her eyes, inviting that drumbeat to enter her body through her feet, to reverberate though her being and infuse her with the feelings and the love of her home.

The same old woman who'd been blessing the young couple with the baby, Elder Aga, was chanting again, her voice rising high with the flames of her fire, calling out to the old people and older names of her tribe's ancestors. She tossed in her powders again, changing the color of the fire into brilliant shades. The colored embers blasted into the sky, but Aga didn't shrink away from them. The firelight cast beautiful colors against Sokka and Suki where they sat facing each other in front of the fire, kneeling on pelts, their hands clasped and pure joy on their faces.

"Under the high sun that gives us warmth through the cold, we have gathered to bear witness as young Sokka and Suki are bound and committed to each other in marriage," Aga said. "Suki, has Sokka proven himself capable of being a husband?"

"Yes," Suki said, looking at no one but Sokka.

"Has he proven himself capable of providing food and shelter for you and your future children?"

"He has."

"Has he proven himself and honorable man? One who would not break his vows to you?"

"He has."

"Then so, by Suki's own admission, Sokka has proven himself a worthy husband."

Deep in her heart, Katara felt the pride of a mother watching her son get married. She brushed away a tear. She knew she'd never have to worry about Sokka. He was in capable hands. All the certainty didn't keep a bit of the sadness at bay, though. It was the end of an era for their group; Suki and Sokka were the first to be married, followed shortly by her and Zuko. If they thought their group dynamic changed once relationships were formed, there was no telling whether marriage and children would pull them all apart or push them closer together. She leaned against Zuko, thankful for and ever aware of his strong, solid presence and the warmth he always offered. He squeezed her waist reassuringly, and kissed her forehead. She loved his quiet and unassuming affection. Sure, there were times when they were prone to making out in hallways, but mostly Zuko showed his love for her in small gestures that meant so much more than flowers and gifts. She loved the way he made her feel cherished when he placed his hand on the small of her back and opened a door for her, and the way he made her feel desired when he smiled appreciatively at a new outfit.

Katara took a deep breath, watching Aga throw more powder in the fire as the drums changed rhythm. Aang was whispering to Toph, and she punched him affectionately. When the war ended, they'd all believed they would be close friends until the day they died, but already so much had rocked their friendships and tested them. But they'd managed to stay friends through all of it. There was no reason to doubt their sincerity or their love for each other. That was the nature of relationships—they were ever-changing. If the foundation was solid, they had nothing to worry about, and Katara felt confident that their foundation was solid. Theirs was a friendship forged in the hardship of war, requiring them to literally put their lives in each others' hands. They'd emerged from that ordeal alive and closer than she'd ever imagined being with other people.

"You couldn't smile any bigger if it was our own wedding," Zuko whispered in her ear, ghosting his lips across her cheek.

It certainly felt like she couldn't, and Katara laid her head against Zuko's shoulder, feeling like her chest was too tight, too full. The same questions asked of Suki would be asked of her, and Katara considered shouting her answers as loudly as she possibly could to make sure that everyone heard her. If her answer was the talisman that would banish all those rude comments, she would allow herself to be interrogated every day. She stepped closer to Zuko and wrapped his arms around her, reveling in the rise and fall of his chest against her back. She closed her eyes briefly, her mind travelling back to the night they'd spent in the cave after hunting Yon Rah. She used to think that she was the one to reach out to Zuko that night, to ask him to open up and to share his pain with her. It had been years before she realized that he'd asked the same of her, that she'd given him access to parts of her that she'd kept closed off, even from herself.

"Sokka, has Suki proven herself capable of being a wife?" Aga continued as the drums quieted.

"Without a doubt," was Sokka's firm reply.

Aga paused while the chuckles died down. "Has she proven herself capable of providing food and shelter for you and your future children?"

"She has."

"Has she proven herself an honorable woman? One who would not break her vows to you?"

"Every day that I've known her."

"So then, by Sokka's own admission, Suki has proven herself a worthy wife. Is there anyone who would object, and argue that either Suki or Sokka are not worthy?"

Katara bit her cheeks to keep from smiling as Hakoda turned around and scowled at the crowd, daring anyone to step forward. She watched her father scan the gathered faces, and even those who were talking got quiet, lest Hakoda mistake their chatter for a challenge. Zuko squeezed her, nuzzling her neck, and Katara offered more of herself to him, and her legs trembled as Zuko placed one, sweet, soft kiss on her pulse.

"I wonder what Dad's going to do at our wedding, then," she whispered.

"Hold a club in one hand, his sword in the other," Zuko said with his lips pressed against her neck.

Giggling, Katara pulled Zuko's arms tighter around her, and he obliged, holding her as close as possible without squishing her. Still, she pressed back against him, wondering if it was possible for them to meld together. Melding with Zuko inevitably led to thoughts of children, and Katara blushed, thinking of the nights they'd spent together since they'd been in the South. Love and devotion had always been present in Zuko's eyes, and she'd returned that passion with everything she had in her. It was joy to know that she could make him feel that good, to know that she could still surprise him and make him want her with the same primal urges that had overcome him when he was seventeen. She loved that Zuko would always let his guard down around her, that he would let her alone take care of him—something he even denied Ursa to a certain extent.

"And so the tribe has seen the wisdom of this union," Aga said when no one stepped forward, albeit with an amused smile.

The drums picked up again, and Aga walked around to the front of the fire, picking up a length of leather and wrapping it around the handle of a small knife.

"These are two things essential to life in the South," Aga said as she wrapped the leather around Sokka and Suki's joined hands. "Leather is used in clothing, for grips on our weapons, and for shelter during hunts, among other things. A knife, I should think, is self explanatory. If you care for the leather and for your knife, it will last for a very long time, much like your marriage. Marriage is not just about the obvious—the knife. It is also about the little details—the leather."

Zuko was rubbing his cheek against hers, and Katara moved her head so her cheek would be against his scarred one. He froze, but Katara could only smile. She'd learned to stop being offended when Zuko got touchy about his scar. She rubbed her cheek against his, and felt him relax. It was something he'd never quite get over so long as there were ways for people to reopen that wound. But she loved his scar just as much as she loved the rest of him. Once, she'd considered taking him to the Spirit Oasis in the North to try and heal it, but she ended up never telling Zuko about the idea. It might have been selfish of her, but she wanted him to keep it. Zuko looked at it and saw pain and failure and struggle, and even though triumph was mixed in, there were still too many days when she was sure triumph didn't outweigh pain. When she saw his scar, though, she saw so much of _him_ and everything that brought him to this point. It was every joy and every struggle, every happiness and every tear. It was his greatest defeat and his greatest victory.

If it wasn't for that scar, she wouldn't be in his arms, loving him with every part of herself.

As Aga announced that Suki and Sokka had been joined and were now husband and wife, everyone erupted in cheers, and the newly married couple stood and embraced. Sokka used the pads of his thumbs to wipe away a few of Suki's tears, and she kissed his cheeks as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Sokka buried his face in Suki's neck, and there was such an honest and openly loving look on her face that Katara felt tears sting at her own eyes. In her mind, she could see back through the years, through destructive fire and flame to the time when they were children fighting a war they had no business fighting. How different things had been back then. How obscure the present.

Katara started to walk away with the dispersing crowd, but Zuko held her back.

"I love you, Katara," Zuko said, and she was surprised to see unshed tears in his own eyes.

She took his face in her hands and kissed him, molding her body to his. She felt his tears slide over her fingers, and his emotion raised emotion in her, but Katara was determined not to let this become one of those sappy, weepy moments. They'd already gone over the basic details of their Fire Nation wedding and her coronation, but Katara knew that, for both of them, the elaborate ceremony and the jewels and the gifts would feel hollow compared to what would pass between them in the South. There was such beauty and power in the simplicity of Suki and Sokka's wedding, which had barely lasted half an hour. The vast sky was open above them, nearly cloudless, and the sun was shining brightly. It had a way of making you feel small, but in Zuko's arms, Katara always felt like she was the most important thing in the universe.

"I love you, too," Katara said, breaking the kiss. "I love you so much."

She kissed him again, feeling that beautiful, familiar Zuko smile against her lips, and when he pulled away, he didn't go far, resting his forehead against hers and taking her hands in his. They stood like that, willing the world to go away.

"I suppose we should go join the family, huh?" he asked.

Katara shrugged. "I'm content to stay here with you for the rest of forever."

Zuko chuckled, pecking her quickly on the lips. "Agni help us, we sound like one of Ty Lee's romance scrolls."

"I'm blaming it on the wedding."

When they entered the great hall, finally decorated to Suki's satisfaction, the feast was already in full swing, even though they hadn't stayed away that long. Katara doubted everyone had been inside before food and drink was passed around.

"You know," Zuko said as they made their way toward their family, "I like Southern weddings. They're short, and it's all about the celebration after."

"There you are," Iroh said, coming to sit next to them. "I was beginning to think you two got lost."

"Something you wanted?" Zuko asked, eyeing his uncle suspiciously.

"Only to say that I am glad this week has been good for the two of you. When you first arrived, you seemed…distant from each other," Iroh said, stroking his beard. "It was most troubling. And heartbreaking."

"And now?" Zuko was smiling, his hand absently rubbing her leg.

"Well. Now, I don't have to say much, do I?"

Katara blushed when Iroh nodded at Zuko's hand where it lay on her thigh. These little touches had become second nature to them, and there were times when they could be across the room and still feel close together. That closeness was in Zuko's eyes and his smile, in the swell of her heart and the way her blood thundered in her ears at his smile. Iroh only patted her cheek, laughing quietly to himself.

"We are all basking in the warmth of Suki and Sokka's love, dear niece. It has brought us _all_ closer together. Some more than others. Just remember that there is no longer any need for secrets. I'd like to be among the first to know when the little one is on its way."

"Iroh please," Katara said, embarrassed, looking around and hoping no one was paying them much attention.

"It's not like no one knows what you two have been up to. Besides, this family could use more children."

Iroh stood to leave, and Zuko groaned, dropping his head on the table.

Katara noted pleasantly that he hadn't removed his hand from her leg, though.

.O.

The moon had risen four hours ago, and the party was still going on, despite the absence of the bride and groom. If anyone noticed, they didn't comment on it. Katara was cuddled up against Zuko's chest, and he kissed her neck, eliciting a giggle and a happy sigh.

There was too much alcohol, and too much music. People were up and dancing, not caring that they were gaining and losing the rhythm in turns. Zuko watched as one of the warriors stumbled into the center of the circle, swaying dangerously on his feet and reaching for a woman by his side. She laughed, unable to stop herself as she stumbled into the man's arms. His friends cheered loudly, and the woman blushed, playfully shoving against the guy, but not turning down the drink he offered.

"Maybe we should cut off the alcohol," Katara said, giggling.

"And deprive ourselves of some fun?"

The group by the drums was getting louder, though Zuko's attention was drawn to another group who was enjoying the alcohol too much. It was those guys who'd been making fun of him a few days ago. Liquor made them bold, and they openly laughed and pointed, one pretending to throw flames from their bonfire at another. A third attempted some drunken waterbending, loudly exclaiming how it was the best element in the world. Zuko's mind was clear, though; he and Katara were among the few who hadn't had much to drink. That knee-jerk reaction was coming on, the one that told him to smash in that guy's face, or to break his arms so he couldn't use them to cover his left eye anymore. Or maybe he'd chop off an arm and a leg from each of those fools. They clearly weren't doing anything productive with those limbs anyway.

But Katara was throwing her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his, stroking his tongue with hers. She ran her hand through his hair, and Zuko wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Those guys were still watching, momentarily pausing in their games. Let them watch. They would never know how it felt to have a woman as strong as Katara in their arms. They would never know what it was like to have someone be their equal, how that only made you stronger and never weaker. They would never understand true passion, or having that passion met, and as Katara slipped her hand up his shirt, Zuko couldn't help feeling more smug than those guys could ever be.

"If you're going to make out with me every time I feel like punching some assholes in the face, I should aggravate people more often," Zuko said as Katara pulled away.

She caressed his cheeks with her thumbs, gave him a quick peck.

"It's just a reminder," she said, pecking him again. "I'm here with _you_—"

"That's not something I'm likely to forget."

"And I'll never be with them."

"They wouldn't know what to do with you."

Katara settled in his arms again, and Zuko laid his head on top of hers. He didn't resist smiling at those idiots, even if Katara did pinch him for it as their fire flared, causing them all to jump back or risk being burned.

"Maybe we should take a walk," Katara suggested, standing and straightening her dress.

She grabbed her parka, clearly expecting Zuko to do the same. Instead, he remained where he was, looking up at his waterbender. Even though one fist was on her hip, her face held none of the annoyance that usually accompanied that stance. Once, his uncle told him that destiny was a funny thing, and Zuko felt he'd been living life as destiny's joke for so long. Now, he'd gladly eat those words and keep his mouth shut, and not wish bad things on destiny, and not claim that it had made some huge mistake in picking on him and making his life miserable.

Destiny was holding out his blue parka to him, smiling with full lips and soft eyes. Zuko stood and accepted the coat, not fussing when Katara started fastening the buttons for him, and when she go to the top button, her hand lingered. He covered her hand with his, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles before kissing her fingers. Just because he could, Zuko kissed those soft lips, loving the way Katara stepped into him, gripping his hand tighter. Life's little pleasures, just the joy of her touch, were becoming the most valuable things to him.

The air was cold outside, and Zuko shivered when it first hit him. Firebender or no, the South got bitterly cold, especially at night. It was snowing again; large, fluffy flakes floated on a mild breeze and landed in their hair. The flakes didn't melt immediately, rather haloing Katara's brown curls, almost like little jewels as they picked up the glint of the starlight. The snow crunched under their feet, and an errant flake attached itself to Katara's eyelashes. She rubbed at it with the back of her hand, then smiled up at him, taking his hand in hers and shoving them both inside her pocket.

Destiny was, indeed, a funny thing.

When they got to the house, it was completely dark, as if no one was home. Instinctively, Zuko lit a fire in the fireplace and lit the torches along the wall, banishing the darkness and inviting warmth and light. Katara chuckled as she hung her parka by the door.

"It's so convenient to have—"

Zuko cut her off with a kiss because some impulses were okay, and because she was like another piece of a puzzle, and they fit together so perfectly. She could tuck her head under his chin, and his hand fit at the small of her back. Her hands were small and soft in his, but the calluses still marked her as a warrior, having mastered the tanto knives he gave her for her eighteenth birthday. She was strength and beauty, and he could never get enough of her.

Katara stood on the tips of her toes, her fingers moving deftly over the Water Tribe buttons, making short work of them and pulling Zuko out of his coat, never breaking their kiss, but deepening it, and Zuko placed his hands on her hips, bringing her closer to him, feeling the contact with his whole body, knowing there was as little space between them as could possibly be. It was a feeling that sat deep in his chest, deeper than his heart, touching some secret place in him that only she could access, some real estate that she'd owned since he was sixteen. A place she bought when she touched his scar under Ba Sing Se.

"The whole time we were at the wedding," Katara said, taking his hand and leading him upstairs, "I couldn't help thinking about how that would be us, you know?"

Zuko nodded, smiling. "It's weird, isn't it?"

Katara squeezed his hand, standing on the step above him, and Zuko looked into her blue eyes and a chill ran through him. Katara smiled, her head tilted to one side and a glint in her eyes.

"I may not be a firebender, but I still have ways of warming you if you're cold."

She let go of his hand to place hers on his shoulders, and Zuko leaned in. Her lips touched his in a fleeting embrace, and Zuko placed his hands at her hips again, gripping tighter and keeping her from pulling away. Katara smiled against him, her forehead pressed against his, their noses, touching, and she didn't resist when he lifted her effortlessly, carrying her up the stairs and to their bedroom.

As soon as the door was closed, Zuko moved to put Katara down, but she wrapped her legs firmly around his waist, her kisses and her touches becoming more forceful, and Zuko crushed her against him. This past week wasn't enough. As he laid her down on the bed, a deep fear settled in the pit of his stomach. It would be too easy to return to the Fire Nation and to the way they'd been with each other for the past year. Zuko never wanted to feel that way again. Katara was such a part of his being, something so ingrained in him, that he didn't want to remove her from his system. Tenderly, he kissed her cheek and her neck, his lips soft and fleeting like the wind. Katara gasped, arching into him, her hands working at his belt, fighting to remove his shirt.

"I've never wanted anything more than I want you," Zuko whispered into her neck. "Not my throne, not my honor, not to return home."

Katara's breath hitched as he slid his hand up her dress, feeling soft fabric rather than her skin.

"I thought I'd show you how we dress in the South," Katara said, wiggling away from him.

She stood and undid the thick white belt at her waist, letting her dress fall open to reveal her warm Southern underwear. It was a far cry from everything else she'd worn during their stay. Very little skin was exposed, but Zuko was captivated by the sight. Thin leather strips were wrapped around her forearms and shins, crisscrossing and braided, dark over plain blue fabric. White fur soft as down covered her chest, the black stitching standing out in an intricate patterns mimicking nautical knots.

"Lace is highly impractical," Katara said, turning slowly for him. "We dress for warmth, and when we want to please our men, we remind them of _all_ the reasons they chose to marry us. Through food, through shelter, through proving that we can create beauty out of the most mundane things."

Zuko circled Katara, tracing the leather braids at her waist. He stood behind her, kissed her neck, his hands searching for the knots that would release the clothing from her body.

"Every day you remind me why I chose you."

Katara turned in his arms, and with calm and unfrenzied hands, she undid the buttons on his shirt, and he pulled it over his head as she unfastened secret buttons in the fur of her long underwear, shrugging out of it and revealing herself to him. Zuko kissed her skin as it was exposed, circling his tongue and feeling her shiver. He slid the body suit down past her hips as Katara made short work of his belt. They stepped out of the last of their clothing, and stood before each other, completely naked and unashamed. Katara traced his lightning scar, and Zuko didn't stop her this time, not fighting to keep that bit of sadness at bay. Instead, he kissed her, running his tongue over hers as he walked them backwards and threw back the covers on the bed.

Zuko trailed kisses down her neck, stopping to suckle just above her collarbone when Katara whimpered and clutched at his back. He grunted when she began stroking him, his breath hitching when she wiggled down bringing them closer together. He took her skin between his teeth as she guided him inside her, and Zuko moved slowly, savoring the feel of her and the sound of that breathy moan that carried his name. Neither moved, just holding each other, and Katara ran her hands all over his back, and combed his hair with her fingers, and when she kissed him, rolling her hips, Zuko's arms shook. He matched her movement, his forehead pressed against hers, and it was Katara who guided his hips into a rhythm, and she licked his neck and placed his hand on her thigh, and Zuko gripped her tightly as that feeling began to well up, not in the pit of his stomach, but in his chest.

"Faster," Katara whispered, pulling Zuko down on top of her, eliminating as much space between them as she could.

Obliging, Zuko sped up his thrusts, feeling little tremors run through Katara's body, moving from her into him, and he shivered, his breath coming out in deep quivering gasps. Katara pulled the blankets up around them, but that did little to ease the tremors; it wasn't the cold that made their bodies shake, but that didn't matter. Katara bit her lip, throwing her head back and bracing herself against the headboard. When she arched her back, Zuko touched something inside her that made her moan loudly, and his eyes rolled back in his head as her nails dug into his shoulder. His thrusts became more powerful, seeking out that place again, wanting nothing more than to make Katara shudder from the top of her head to the bottoms of her feet. He wanted to feel her clench her muscles around him, to have her grip him with her legs, he wanted her nails clawing at his back so hard that there were little red scratches that irritated him in the morning.

He took her nipple in his mouth, sucking and flicking his tongue across sensitive skin, and he didn't hush her or swallow her moans, when she called out his name, and just the sound of his name mixed with ecstasy coming from her mouth was enough to push him closer. Katara let go of the headboard to push against his shoulder, and Zuko gladly rolled over, letting her on top, and he nearly lost it when she swirled her hips against him.

"You're always trying to pleasure me first," she said, her lips at his throat, her fingers laced with his. "I hardly get a chance to make you feel good."

Any rebuttal he was going to give was quickly thrown out in favor of a gasp because he didn't know what she was doing, but it felt _amazing_. Huffing and struggling to breathe, Zuko grabbed her hips, helped her get more friction, and Katara tossed her head back, her nails lightly scratching at his chest, mixing the pleasure with a tickling sensation, and Zuko smirked. No matter what Katara would say, no matter how much she would scold him for thinking like this, he felt lucky to have such a beautiful woman be so in love with him. The swelling in his chest mounted as Katara laid down against him, her hardened nipples grazing his chest as she guided his hands to her butt, and Zuko caressed her, pushed up into her, determined to please her just as much as she was pleasing him.

"Great Agni, Katara," Zuko moaned as Katara bit his jaw. "Spirits, I love you."

She kissed him, another shudder rolling through her and making her body spasm. He felt every convulsion and tremble and spasm and twitch, and when it ran through her body, it passed through his, and Zuko never felt so connected to anyone in his life. Their chests heaved together, and he wondered if her heart was beating in time with his. It was the oddest, most pleasurable sensation he'd ever felt.

Abruptly, Zuko broke their kiss, that feeling in his chest boiling over, and he fought to keep his eyes open as he pumped into Katara, and her grip on his arm tightened, even as he tightened his grip on her, and her eyelids fluttered as her eyes rolled back, and they were both robbed of speech as the shudder passed from one into the other and back again. It ran through them so many times that Zuko was sure he'd never come down from this high.

When it finally did finish, they collapsed together, a heap of limps and satisfied feelings, and Zuko couldn't stop kissing his fiancée, his wife, the woman who'd changed so much in him, all with a kind look and a soft touch.

.O.

Hakoda thought it was a beautiful ceremony. The only thing that would have made it better would have been Kya. Sighing, Hakoda rolled over and pulled the covers higher up against him chin. There were times when he still missed her, but he knew that she _had_ been there. He could see her in Sokka's smile and the way he held his wife. She was in the snow and the sun that shone down on them. She was everywhere. Kya would be exceptionally proud of her son—of both of her children. She would be just as proud as he was. It had been his greatest wish that his children would find some happiness, and now they both were happier and more content than he'd ever expected. Hakoda allowed himself a small smile as he closed his eyes. He couldn't complain. His family was well, and it was growing.

As he began to drift off to sleep, there was a faint tapping on the wall. He tried to ignore it, rolling over and snuggling down under the furs even more, but that tapping was insistent, now becoming a little louder.

"Mmmmm…"

Hakoda's eyes flew open and he shot up, staring horrified at the wall. His room shared that exact wall with his daughter's room. The room his daughter was staying in with her fiancé. He blinked dumbly at it as the tapping continued.

There was a loud moan.

Huffing, Hakoda got out of bed, grabbing a few pillows and his blankets and heading downstairs.

Yes, he _could_ complain.

* * *

><p>Lol, like Joss Whedon, I undercut your tender moments with humor :P So, yeah... Work killed me these past two weeks, so I didn't have any time to write. But now I'm all caught up on my updates, so yay!<p>

Huge thanks go to **Jazzpha** and **Masayume85** for helping me with Katara's Sexy Southern Underwear(tm), even though I didn't do it justice here. That conversation was all sorts of epic. In any event, I wanted to showcase Sokka and Suki's wedding. I imagine things to be much simpler in the South, again with a bigger focus on the strength of the family unit. I still wanted there to be some sort of vows or acknowledgment, so those got thrown in as well. Because the South has existed as such a small, close-knit family group for a long time, I feel like everything there would be more...intimate. The wedding ceremonies would have more weight, life would be celebrated by the entire tribe, and death would be mourned by everyone as well. It's a connection that Zuko hasn't felt much in his life, which is why I always imagine him loving spending time in the South Pole. Emotions and feelings are heightened. Even the bad ones. And yes, I'm planning something for those assholes who keep harassing Zuko. Also, I am incapable of leaving Hakoda alone. He's the only one I've subjected to such bad mental images -_-; First the naked chocolate incident, then this. One day, Hakoda, you will get your revenge. One day...

I think of this as the climax chapter (lol, no pun intended, I swear!), and after this we get the falling action where our time in the South is coming to a close :( Sad, I know. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! It's been lovely hearing from you, and you always put a smile on my face!


	7. Playing

**_EDIT: _**_Big props to **Kimberly T**for catching a little continuity slip (an inadvertent spoiler for _Finding My Way Home_. I've spruced up the dialogue to give a bit more detail as to why Katara's been crowned a princess of the Fire Nation. Now, on to your regularly scheduled reading..._

No matter what, Zuko would always be at a disadvantage in the South, which was exactly why he had to be extra crafty.

Ever since he'd given her those scrolls that outlined the principles of Southern style waterbending, Katara had favored her native bending over any other. She was teaching it to others, but for the moment, she was the only one who could claim to be a master of Southern style; that meant she got a clear advantage in a fight. Zuko had trouble discerning which were waterbending moves, and which was just her moving around. She was a crafty little thing, and would often do extra moves to throw him off. Which is exactly why he developed the habit of watching the water around him, looking for the tell-tale signs of the element being manipulated. In the Fire Nation, this was a relatively easy and straightforward strategy. In the South, where they were surrounded by various forms of water, it was nearly impossible.

"Round two?" Katara asked, her eyebrow raised and her muscles tense.

Zuko and Katara were currently at an impasse in their sparring match, but there was a spark in Katara's eyes that said they were far from done. Zuko flexed his fingers, coaxing the heat to his fingertips as Katara stirred the snow with her foot.

Katara moved first, kicking up a ball of ice and launching it at Zuko. She followed one ice ball with another, keeping up a barrage that had Zuko dodging as he closed the gap between them. He dove, rolling and returned fire, aiming high and causing Katara to stop momentarily to shield her face. A moment was all Zuko needed to regain his feet, and he rammed his shoulder into Katara, and the impact sent her to her back, but before Zuko could get in another blow, she was rolling over, sending a sheet of ice slamming into his body, creating more distance between them. When Zuko had his footing again, Katara was standing, and her stance shifted, rigid, her legs grounded, Foggy Swamp style, and the ground shook beneath them. Zuko exhaled a jet of steam, dodging the quickly forming cracks, punching out quick, powerful bursts of flame to keep Katara's attention divided between offensive and defensive maneuvers. He didn't like the way she was smirking, as if she had some secret weapon. They'd chosen to spar outside, and decided on a finite amount of space to serve as their ring. If he could keep pushing Katara back, she would step outside of the boundaries, giving him the victory.

He pushed forward again, letting his attacks flow organically from one to the next. It was a technique he learned from his uncle—while the attacks were individually weaker, when strung together, they could have a devastating effect. A crowd had formed around them, everyone keeping back a safe distance, and some cheered and others expressed concern for their Southern daughter, but Zuko wasn't stupid. He could hear many of his attacks sizzling as they met with ice, could still feel the tremors of the ground being manipulated. Breathing heavily, he slowed his attack. She was up to something.

The snowy cloud hiding Katara swirled before being returned to the ground as a light snow. Katara stood, looking smug, her feet encased in ice, preventing her from being pushed further back. It was a hasty job; already, the ice was beginning to crack, and she was very close to the edge.

"I thought you'd never stop," Katara said, tossing a lock of hair over her shoulder.

"What, you thought I'd tire myself out? You're just lucky you can bend the snow, otherwise I would have had you out of the ring ages ago."

Zuko wiped at the sweat along his hairline with the back of his arm. He _had_ begun to tire himself out. Forgoing firebending practice to sit at a desk reading papers and reports and requisition forms had a way of keeping you out of practice. On top of that, his body had been working overtime, compensating for the decreased temperature, and now the intense bending battle. He reached for the edges of his shirt to pull it over his head, but Katara's eyes narrowed dangerously, one fist going to her hip, the other shooting out toward him.

"Keep your shirt on, Zuko!" she demanded. "This is the South Pole, and I'll be damned if I let you weasel out of this match by freezing to death."

Zuko rolled his eyes. Her motives probably had less to do with concern for his wellbeing, and more to do with the large number of women in the audience. Smirking, Zuko raised his eyebrow in challenge, still tugging at the edge of his shirt. Katara knew that he could keep himself warm. He'd generated warmth enough for the two of them on more than one occasion, and he really needed to cool off. Katara met that challenge, though, slipping back into Foggy Swamp and sliding toward him.

They moved at the same time, Zuko sidestepping as Katara sent a blade-thin ring of water hurtling toward him, and Zuko returned in kind, stealing her move for no other reason than because it made her frustrated and angry. True to form, Katara huffed, cracking a water whip at him, but Zuko met that with a fire whip. If he aggravated her enough, Zuko could push her into Northern style, which she knew was harder for him to imitate, but it had the added advantage of being easier for him to detect moves since he'd seen more of it than any of the other waterbending styles.

But Katara surprised him, turning instead to a modified form of firebending, using Zuko's own moves against him, her stance aggressive, and her muscles taut. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and her mouth was a tight line, and Zuko had to remind himself that he was supposed to be watching her moves, not her body and the way her muscles flexed, or how she utilized physical strength people forgot she had.

Zuko cursed, dodging too late, and being thrown backward by an ice ball to the stomach. He didn't fight against the ice boulder, moving with the force of the blow and lessening the pain, but Katara was barreling toward him, and Zuko ran to meet her, turning sideways to deliver a kick that would trip her up, but Katara had other plans.

"Ow!" she yelled, having caught his kick with her opposite leg so that their legs were locked at the knee. "That hurt!"

"What the hell, you weren't supposed to catch that."

"And just let you hit me?"

"There are a million other things you could have done—"

"But I didn't."

The two stood, huffing and struggling for breath and balance. Zuko smiled, thinking about just how strong Katara's legs were. She must have recognized that look on his face, because she pinched him.

"What're you thinking about, with your dirty mind?" she whispered, leaning in and losing her balance a bit.

"I'm thinking about just how dirty _you_ are."

Katara laughed, a pleasant sound that rose up from her stomach and echoed into the mid morning air. She almost toppled, threatening to take Zuko down with her. Her wild flailing in an attempt to keep her balance only made her laugh more, and it was too hard for Zuko to resist, and he chuckled, too.

And then Katara shoved him, and he fell backwards, her on top, and just like that, the sparring match was back on. Zuko rolled left, then right, barely dodging Katara's ice covered fists, but with the third roll, he had the right amount of momentum to fling her over, and he did, pinning her underneath him. He laced his fingers with hers and pushed her hands into the snow, clamping her legs together with his own. Katara wiggled, but Zuko had her firmly subdued. Whenever it came down to a battle of physical strength, Zuko was still bigger and stronger than she was, which was part of the reason he often pushed these sparring matches into close quarters. He had years and years of hand to hand combat training, studying under the best instructors the war had to offer.

"So, what's your plan, now?"

Katara grunted, struggling against him, but Zuko just pressed more of his weight against her.

"Give me a second," she said. "I'll have you flat on your back in no time."

"Big words for someone who can't exactly move."

"I've been in more confined spaces than this, and I've still outmaneuvered you."

Zuko smirked, lowering his voice, conscious of the watching eyes. "Hm, you always seemed quite comfortable being pinned between me and a bed."

Katara gave a low, sultry laugh that sent chills down Zuko's spine, and he didn't hide that shiver from her, loving the way her eyes flashed dangerously dark, a challenging look that said she could be both lover and opponent, and dominate him in both fields, and she gripped his hands tighter.

"Oh come on!" someone in the crowd shouted.

Grinding his teeth, Zuko let a puff of steam out of his nostrils. Wherever they went, they would always be the spectacle—Zuko knew this, and mostly he ignored it. There were times, though, when he didn't care to hold back his frustration. If they were in the Fire Nation, people would know better than to stand around and treat their Fire Lord and Lady like they were two animals pitted against each other for sport. Zuko started to let go of Katara and rise, feeling the energy shift inside his body, but Katara gripped his hands tighter, pulling him back down.

"They want us to finish the fight," she said, shaking her head slightly.

"Yeah, well, you're subdued, and this isn't an exhibition—"

Any other retort was quickly swallowed as Katara smirked and rammed her head into his. The crowd groaned in sympathy as Zuko fell back, clutching his forehead. He was more surprised than hurt, but that wasn't to say it didn't still hurt like hell. His forehead was throbbing, and he could have sworn his vision was swimming, but Katara sat up, resting her forearms on her knees, smiling, and from somewhere to his right, Hakoda was laughing loudly.

"What the hell was that, Katara?" Zuko yelled, blinking a few times to right his vision.

"It's called a headbutt, Zuko," she said, with a little laugh in her voice. "It works best when your opponent doesn't know it's coming. Surprise and confusion and the like."

She stood and offered her hand to Zuko, and he accepted it, and when they were standing, he began dusting the snow off her clothes first, then his. The throbbing was already lessening, leaving him with a dull ache that resembled a mild headache. Seeing that nothing else was going to happen, several members of the crowd began dispersing, but one group stepped forward, and instantly Zuko was on the defensive again, ready to strike at the slightest provocation.

"So that's it, huh? The great _Fire Lord_, master firebender, teacher of the Avatar, taken down by a headbutt. From a _woman_."

Zuko hadn't realized he'd stepped forward until Katara was pulling him back, whispering that he needed to ignore them. The rational part of his brain knew that he needed to ignore these fools that had been harassing him the whole week. The rational part of him knew that, should things go wrong, he would be the one in greater trouble, that there were people watching him, just waiting for him to screw up so they could blow things out of proportion. But that rational side of his brain was often slave to the brash impulses. Mostly, he was able to keep those impulses under control, but there were times when his control slipped. Purposefully or not.

"What's your name?" Zuko growled.

"My name's Anu," said the one who liked miming being burned. Zuko had already picked him out to be the ring leader. "Your majesty."

Anu did a mock bow, spreading out his arms widely and bowing low. Blue eyes glanced up at Zuko, mocking him, daring him to do something. Anu was offering Zuko his neck, inviting that brash, violent impulse, but Katara's hand was on his shoulder, her grip harder than it needed to be. The crowd that had been dispersing now stayed to see a show of a different kind. Hakoda cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention, making it known just who he'd be standing with. He placed one hand on his daughter's shoulder, the other on his adopted son's.

"Anu," Hakoda said, his tone scolding and dark, "your behavior has been disgusting this past week. You need to let this matter drop. It is none of your concern. This is no way for guests to repay hospitality."

"This is the first word I've said to his…_highness_." Anu spat in the snow. "Some people were too eager to forget the wrong the Fire Nation has done. Even you, Chief Hakoda. The Fire Nation almost repeated the genocide of the Air Nomads—"

"Enough," Katara broke in, her voice filled with fire. "Cut the bullshit, Anu. Let's not cloak this argument with overtones of politics and war. Do not dishonor the sacrifices of the fallen by covering up the _real_ issue."

"It _is_ politics," Anu seethed.

"It was the South standing up against the North, and refusing to give in to pressure. It was my father saying that his daughter is not a prize to be won. It was me saying _you_ were not worthy, and that a marriage with you couldn't bind a snowflake to the ground, let alone our two tribes."

"And yet he sold you to the Fire Nation—"

Zuko took a deep breath to calm himself, releasing excess heat through his nostrils, forcing the fire away from his fingertips. He would not lash out physically, though he could think of several reasons why he should, and exactly why it would be justified. Anu saw the steam as it came from Zuko's nostrils, and Anu saw the steam laced with sparks as Zuko exhaled another breath from his mouth, and it had halted him in his tracks.

"You are fond of reminding me that I am the Fire Lord," Zuko said, switching to the tone he used when he spoke with the more treacherous element of the nobility. "Then let me remind you that, in dishonoring my wife, with both your words and your actions, you dishonor me. I would be well within my rights to demand retribution from Chief Hakoda."

"And I would be more than inclined to give it to him."

Anu's buddies took a step back, but Anu held his place. He smirked, his head tilted at a haughty angle.

"She's not your wife yet. You can demand _nothing_ of me."

"Since you keep up with our relationship so much," Katara said, coming to stand at Zuko's side, "then you know that I was crowned a princess of the Fire Nation last year, giving me governing power and making me the second government official you've insulted from the Fire Nation. It also means that I am officially part of the royal family, and there are _very_ few things that can prevent this wedding from happening." Katara narrowed her eyes, her voice acidic. "You cannot count yourself among those things, Anu. Most importantly for you, now it is not only my betrothed who gets to seek retribution for this attack on my honor, but the _entire_ royal family."

This caught Anu's attention as he no doubt thought about the Lightning Princess and the Dragon of the West, but he wasn't intending to back down. Zuko could tell his pride was keeping him from being sensible. If _he_ was being sensible, Zuko would let the matter drop. But he was determined to _not_ be sensible. If Anu demanded a duel, Zuko would gladly accept, never giving anyone the chance to squash the idea.

"What say you back down and keep your idiotic mouth shut or I tell Hakoda about the crude insult to his daughter's honor," Zuko said with a smirk. "You remember? The time you insinuated all the _vile_ things you'd do to her?"

Anu blanched, and Zuko didn't have to turn around to see that Hakoda was furious and literally shaking with rage. He kept his eyes trained on Anu as Hakoda marched forward, his fists clenched and muscles tensed. Finally, Anu fell back a few steps. Zuko took a distinct pleasure in watching Anu cower before Hakoda.

"Run," came the older man's harsh reply, and Anu fled as fast as his feet would carry him.

No doubt he'd return to the North, and if he decided to hold that grudge, he would probably try to spin events in his favor when he spoke with Chief Arnook. The rational part of his brain was taking over again, and it told Zuko to write Arnook as soon as possible, relaying the events, and to release that excess fire and anger before he did something he'd regret. Filling his lungs with air, Zuko tilted his head back and blew out a steady stream of blue fire, putting as much energy as he could into making that flame burn hotter than normal, pushing that tension and hurt and anger out of his body. He forced the sadness to steam off of his body, and when he could no longer maintain the steady stream, he closed his eyes and breathed normally again.

"You did good," Hakoda said, placing his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Why don't you take a bit to relax, son?"

Zuko nodded, feeling a bit hollow like he always did after forcing out so much emotion. Slowly, the feeling began to creep back into his body, and the first sensation he was aware of was Katara holding his hand. He looked at her, and she was smiling, adoration in her eyes, and the warmth crept into him. Her warmth. From her body into his hand and up his arm, and it spread through him, and Zuko smiled back, pecking her lightly on the lips before leading her back to the house.

.O.

Sitting in the bathtub, Zuko lathered the shampoo in his hands before working it through Katara's hair. She sighed contentedly, and Zuko heated his hands, massaging her scalp. She leaned into his touch, her hands gripping his legs. He worked his hands through her hair, untangling knots and being careful not to tug too hard. Zuko was doing his best to let those insults slide off him, like he'd done so many others, but these seemed determined to stick. He frowned, running his hands through Katara's hair, searching for any remaining knots. People could be so petty, and it was times like these that made Zuko wonder if any real healing could ever be done.

"Close your eyes," he said, leaning Katara back.

Carefully, so as to avoid getting bubbles in her eyes, Zuko scooped the water over her hair, making sure all the soap was gone, and when he was done, he massaged her scalp again, moving his hands down her neck, kneading the muscles between her shoulder blades. Katara drooped her head forward and sighed again.

"Usually, you're much more talkative than this," Katara said, rolling her head to look at Zuko over her shoulder. She flicked water at him.

Zuko shrugged. "What do you want to talk about?"

Katara smiled sadly, her hair smoothed back and away from her face. She turned in his arms and took his face in her hands. It was hard to really pinpoint just why those guys were able to get under his skin; it wasn't as if Zuko hadn't faced that kind of reaction before. He'd learned to tune it out. Rarely did he fan the flames. And it wasn't even that Anu had insulted Katara; they'd also experienced a fair share of that. Zuko shook his head, forcing out the bad thoughts, but Katara was still holding his face, and she wasn't letting go. Instead, she kissed him, her lips smiling and warm, and she snaked her arms around his neck, climbing into his lap.

"I'm so proud of you," she said, her cheek pressed against his, her lips by his ear. "I know how much it cost for you to not fight back. But I'm proud of you for not hurting them right then."

"Because I could. In so many ways."

"I know. We'll give them what's coming to them."

It might be weird to say, but Zuko loved that dark streak in Katara, that one that came to the surface when she was ready to dole out punishment, the one that so few people saw. Zuko had been on the receiving end of it; he knew how a Katara-grudge felt. She was his water nymph, ready to pull unworthy sailors to their watery graves, but also giving life and comfort with her arms around his neck and her lips by his ear. It was as if those assholes hadn't interrupted anything, and he still had her pinned against the snow, and she was still laughing in that deep, sultry way, that laugh that called to mind the sway of her hips and the way her hands caressed him.

"You're just trying to distract me," Zuko said, smiling.

"I wanted you to smile again."

The corner of Katara's mouth pulled up into a little smirk, and Zuko kissed that smirk, and her lips pushed back against his, her hands tangling in his wet hair. She pressed her body close against his, and Zuko let his hands drift down her back until they rested on her thighs. She turned her head slightly, offering him her neck, and Zuko obliged, kissing and flicking his tongue along her pulse, feeling her shudder against him. Katara leaned forward offering more of herself, one hand clutching at his back, the other lightly scratching his forearm. Zuko grunted, and was about to pull away and find other places to kiss, but Katara's grip on him tightened.

"Don't stop," she said, exhaling the words in a breathy whispered plea.

Her chest heaved, her skin brushing against his as her breathing picked up, and she whimpered. Zuko continued now because he loved that sound and the needy way she touched him, pulled him closer to her. Zuko's grip on her thighs tightened when she scooted even closer to him, straddling him in the tub, and her hand moved from his forearm to his shoulder, her touch light and nearly tickling, but it was the _noises_ she was making, soft whimpers when he bit and deep moans when he sucked, that really made him need her. With his thumbs, he traced slow circles on her inner thighs, and Katara slumped forward against him, and she took the skin of his shoulder between her teeth, and she bit as he bit, sucked as he sucked, and it wasn't enough to just have her neck in his mouth.

Zuko lifted Katara with ease, sparing only a brief moment to wonder when she stopped flinching and thinking he was going to drop her, and carried her to the bed as she bent the water off their skin, dumping it into the tub. Katara grabbed his face roughly, nearly causing him to fall on top of her, and she kissed him, and Zuko couldn't think of much else other than her tongue on his and her naked body waiting to be devoured.

When he tried to position himself, Katara shoved him roughly, her eyes glinting with mischief. She licked her lips slowly, and Zuko tried to watch all of her at once as she crawled up the bed, purposefully giving him a full view of the ass he loved so much before patting the space next to her. Zuko wasted no time joining her, reaching out for her only to be rebuffed again.

"Katara—"

"Really now," she said, climbing on top of him, licking her lips again. "You were so calm and restrained earlier. I don't understand why you're having such trouble now."

Zuko closed his eyes and gulped air. Before their week-long vacation in the South, their intimate moments had been few and far between, but Zuko never would have considered himself _starved_ for her attention. There were many reasons that the sight of her prowling over him like that—her eyes dark with pure lust, her lips full and soft, her hips hovering mere centimeters above him—should excite him. But simply her voice? The way she spoke to him, and held her lips so that they just brushed his when they moved? He was like a man who'd finally reached the oasis in the desert.

She kissed his neck and his chest, her tongue tracing his muscles as her hand slid down his stomach until she had him in her hand, and Zuko thought he would come undone. Katara smiled smugly when he tried not to buck against her, but she knew his body too well, knew the way he liked to be held and touched and kissed, and she was making liberal use of that knowledge, stroking him hard so that his breath came in shaky whispers. There was really no reason to restrain his desire with her, and Zuko let go, thrusting into her hand, his breathing erratic. Katara raised an eyebrow in question, and Zuko gave a somewhat dazed smile back, and he was going to change their positions, to find that satisfaction that they both needed, but she was already sliding onto him. That absolutely, unutterably pleasurable sensation kept him flat on his back, even as Katara moved her hips back and forth, and instinctively, his hands went to her bottom to help her find that perfect rhythm.

"Restraint," Katara said, breaking his hold on her and attempting to force his hands down.

"Again?" Zuko asked, amused. "What are you going to do if I refuse to behave?"

Katara curled her lip in what would have been a snarl if it wasn't so lusty, and Zuko slapped her ass, watching her flinch as she bit her lip and her muscles clenched around him. He noted the flutter of her eyelids, the way her nails dug into his chest, and he did it again, and her breathing hitched, her mouth dropping open as she gasped for more air. This time, he raised his eyebrow, and Katara smiled, leaning over him, moving up and down, him sliding in and out, and Zuko let out a slow breath of air that was also her name as he teased her nipples, one hand still on her rear, helping her keep that steady rhythm.

That fire built in the pit of his stomach, and Zuko swallowed hard as Katara threw her head back, the tips of her hair brushing against his thighs. He ran his hands up her legs, trailing staticky tendrils of lightning, and she almost doubled over as he rubbed circles around that little nub, and Zuko bit back his own moan, nearly chomping his tongue off. She slumped forward, her head on the pillow near his, and he could hear her moans and her pleas for more and faster and right there in his ear. Zuko obeyed her command, timing his thrusts to her pants, his eyes closed, thoughts no longer coming to him coherently. There was no time and no meaning, only her above him, her eyes hooded, and it took a while for his brain to register that only some of those noises were coming from her.

She guided his warm hands up her body as she rocked back and forth, twisting and whirling her hips so that the tips of his fingers tingled, and it wasn't just her breath that was catching, and Zuko closed his eyes, hoped to concentrate on his breathing. For the entire week, he'd been saying, "Nothing has ever felt this good," and the next night, he'd feel even better.

"Z-Z-Zuko…"

He snapped his eyes open to see Katara practically slumped over him, her eyes struggling to stay open, red scratch marks all down his chest. The tremor started in her arms, but Zuko didn't stop pushing into her, knowing she was close, that he was close, and when she screamed—literally screamed—Zuko hurried to clamp his hand over her mouth, flipping her on her back in a smooth motion. Her whole body tensed, and Zuko was on the edge of his own release and his eyes watered, but still he wouldn't stop because it just felt _so good_. The tremor hit his arms too, and his hands were numb, even as Katara bit his finger, and Zuko buried his face in the pillow to muffle his own screams. When his arms gave out and he finally collapsed on top of Katara, feeling spent and weak, his whole body tingled and he could barely feel her touching him, rubbing his back and kissing his cheek. Feebly, he tried to kiss her back, but they both dissolved into a fit of breathless giggles.

How she still had the strength to wiggle out from under him, Zuko would never know, but then, that was just Katara. When you thought she was done, that she had nothing left to give, she surprised you. Zuko flopped on his back, draping his arm across Katara's shoulder as she cuddled up next to him. He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly as she drew the blankets up around them.

"Zuko?" she called softly.

"Yes?"

"You called me your wife. When you were talking to Anu."

Zuko smiled, idly twisting a strand of her hair around his finger.

"I did. Because you are."

* * *

><p>This is, by far, the longest chapter, but I hope it doesn't feel too long for you. Let's all give a resounding thanks to <strong>jazzpha<strong>, because he encouraged me to change the way I've been approaching my chapters. And for some reason, this chapter is longer _after_ the edits than it was before. But, whatever. I had a lot of fun writing the sparring scene. And yes, this is part 1 of Anu's punishment ;) He'll get the rest of his present next chapter. And speaking of next chapter, this story is, sadly, drawing to a close. There'll be two more chapters (the last day, and the journey back to the Fire Nation) and an epilogue. I just want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing. Seriously, you guys make my day. I've been without a phone for the past week, and it's been a little rough, but being able to read your kind words just makes me smile and warms me up!


	8. Reminding

The bed shifted behind Katara, and she grunted, wondering what Zuko could be getting out of bed for at such an ungodly hour. Zuko was a light sleeper, and would often leave the bed when they were back home in the Fire Nation, but for the past week, he hadn't moved until the sun came up.

"Where are you going?" she asked sleepily, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face against his bare back, kissing him lightly. "Don't you want to stay here with me?"

Zuko shuddered at her touch, a soft sigh escaping his lips, and Katara realized that the sun _was_ rising, the sky tinted with the barest hints of purple and pink. Zuko was also looking out the window, his face hidden from her, but his body was much warmer than normal. That was probably why he'd taken his shirt off. He was also breathing quicker, which was concerning. Usually that meant something was wrong with him.

"That's odd," she said, moving her hands up his chest. "The sun's rising early."

"Tell me about it," he said, wincing and slowly moving her hands away. "It shouldn't be up for another hour at best."

"What's wrong?"

Zuko lay back, smirking, and Katara blushed, seeing those long red marks down his chest. She didn't even remember making them, but there they were, red and aggravated. She smiled apologetically, but Zuko didn't seem too bothered by them. Alert amber eyes were roaming over her, darkened and sharp, inspecting every inch of her, peeling away layers of clothing and skin, and Katara blushed under his heated gaze. After everything that happened to them, after everything they'd _done_ the past week, he shouldn't still be able to make her blush with a lusty look. She started to get up, but Zuko grabbed her hand, practically yanking her down on top of him. His lips were insistent and demanding against hers, and Katara met his tongue when it entered her mouth, moaning softly. His hand slipped from the back of her head to her bottom, giving it a squeeze, and Katara giggled against him, pushing him back down as he followed her when she tried to break the kiss.

She didn't say anything as she got out of bed and headed to the bathroom for a basin and water for healing, putting far more sway in her hips than was necessary, and smiling at the satisfied grunt she heard from her fiancé. Katara bit her lip as she looked in the mirror, combing her hair with her fingers. After children, when her breasts sagged and her hips were wide, when her stomach wasn't flat, and her hair was gray, Katara still hoped that Zuko would look at her like that, because _that_ was love—to be old and fat and wrinkly and ugly, and still find your husband or wife attractive. Satisfaction was knowing that she'd never be ugly in his eyes.

When she entered the bedroom again, Zuko was looking out the window, but the moment her foot crossed the threshold, his head whipped around, and he watched her. Zuko was a morning person, but even he wasn't usually this alert before his morning tea. Katara hugged the basin to her middle, her head tilted to the side.

"What's wrong?"

He smiled widely. "It's so weird. It's almost like I can feel the sun filling me with energy."

Katara sat the basin of water down on the bedside table and climbed on the bed, pulling up her nightgown as she straddled Zuko, her eyes going wide. That Katara could even forget _that_ was a testament to just how busy they'd become and how little time they'd made for each other. As Katara settled over that bulge and a tremor ran up her spine, she inspected the scratches, knowing they were nothing serious. She poked and prodded them, enjoying the way Zuko's eyelids drooped when she moved, the way his breathing quickened at her touch, the way he struggled not to touch her back.

"If you're going to sit there," Zuko said, giving in and resting his hands on her thighs, "you'll have to be still."

Katara nodded, putting on a benign smile as she leaned forward to grab the bowl of water. Which was absolutely unnecessary since she could just call the water to her with her bending. It gave her the chance to rub against him and watch his face as he swallowed thickly. He licked his lips as he massaged her thighs, his hands moving further up under her nightgown. His eyes remained open, still locked on hers. The look on his face was part warning, part invitation. To punctuate his point, he thrust his hips up, and Katara nearly dropped the basin as she gripped his shoulder. Outside, the sun was still climbing slowly.

Pulling the water from the bowl, Katara coaxed it into a glow over his chest, setting the bowl back on the table. What she felt nearly broke her concentration. No wonder Zuko could feel the energy mounting; she could feel tension thrumming in his body, the energy pooling and becoming stagnated. It was very distracting, threatening to make a thirty second healing session take a lot longer. Zuko wasn't helping her concentration either, his hands moving from her thighs and up her stomach, his thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts. He sat up and kissed her cheek, then her jaw, then her neck, licking her in long, slow strokes that always ended with a flick of his tongue. Katara tried to shut out the feeling of his hot hands on her breasts and his mouth on her neck so she could finish up the last of that healing.

She whimpered as Zuko's hands returned to her bottom, grinding her down, his voice already ragged with his need. Katara shuddered, nearly dropping her healing water. This was a completely new sensation; with her water attuned to his chi, she swore she could feel his pleasure as he experienced it, and Katara smiled lightly, feeling almost drunk on this double dose of excitement, and hastily, she tossed the water back into the bowl, and Zuko wasted no time reversing their positions, deftly flipping her on her back.

"You know," she said as she removed her underwear, "I could get used to this."

"I bet you could," Zuko replied, no small amount of amusement in his voice as he nipped her neck.

Katara closed her eyes and rode the waves of pleasure as they rocked her along with Zuko's fingers, as he swirled them inside her, his thumb pressed against that bud, and Katara threw her head back, bracing herself against the headboard. Too soon, though, Zuko was removing his warm hands and sliding into her, his breath hot against her neck, his lips grazing her sensitive skin.

"Wait, we're done with that? I liked that."

A strong thrust sent tingles through her body, making Katara brace herself against the headboard again. She wrapped her legs around Zuko's waist, encouraging him to do it again, glad when he did, needing more when he stopped.

"I bet you like that, too."

He kept up that pace, his thrusts hard, and Katara let her mind sink back into that soft haze that came with pleasure. Zuko's hand gripped her thigh, and Katara felt her whole body jerk with each push, and Zuko's mouth was right by her ear, the quiver in his voice unmistakable as he moaned. Those powerful thrusts came in quick intervals, forcing Katara's eyes to roll back, grateful for his extra burst of energy, knowing she'd miss it if the Fire Nation didn't have days when the sun rose slowly. When his hips came up to meet hers, Katara forced hers down on him, the two meeting with a force that sent them both reeling.

Katara was doing her best to stifle her moans, knowing just how unfair it would be to her father, but she couldn't get enough of the feel of Zuko's back flexing beneath her hand, or the way his hand gripped her hip, or how he was muffling his own cries with his face buried in a pillow. Too soon, she was reaching her peak, her muscles clenching and causing Zuko to make the most delightful sound, and he slowed, allowing them to both savor that feeling. Katara dug her nails into his back, fully aware that this was exactly what set everything off in the first place.

More than being warm, Zuko was hot—uncomfortably so. Katara was torn between trying to move away from him, and giving in and suffering the heat until they were done as Zuko picked up his pace again. Katara tried bending their sweat into ice, but it melted again, not even staying solid long enough to provide any measure of relief. All efforts at heat relief were swallowed by a huge spike in Zuko's heat as he stuttered and panted her name, his whole body quivering against hers, and Katara wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, determined to take everything he had to offer.

She took deep breaths as the warmth pooled in her stomach and her strength gave out. A comfortable hazy sleepiness settled over her like a blanket, and Katara giggled as Zuko settled on top of her, breathing heavily.

"Roll over," she said, lightly shoving his shoulder. "You're making me too hot."

Zuko gave her a satisfied smile before kissing her cheek and obliging, looking thoroughly satisfied with himself.

The sun had finally risen.

.O.

Zuko had the nerve to _not_ be tired out, and to want to do it _again_. So Katara made him bathe her and carry her downstairs for morning tea.

"Oh!" Ursa exclaimed as Katara and Zuko entered the kitchen. "Is everything alright?"

Katara smiled and waved away Ursa's concern, but Hakoda was setting two mugs of tea on the kitchen table, giving them a very pointed look.

"Then why aren't you walking on your own?" He asked.

Zuko sat her in a chair, and Katara beamed at her father. "Payback."

"I'll make you one of Uncle's restorative teas," Zuko said with a slight chuckle.

A comfortable silence settled in the kitchen as Zuko gathered herbs and started the water boiling. Katara pulled her attention away from Zuko, and a slight movement by Ursa caught her eye. It was a nod of the head in Katara's direction, some nonverbal communication between her and Hakoda. Ursa's smile was partially hidden by her tea cup, and Hakoda quickly picked up his own mug to cover a growing smile. Or smirk. Katara frowned.

"How was your morning?" she asked them.

"Wonderful," Ursa said, at the same time as Hakoda answered 'very nice.' With emphasis on very.

Katara raised an eyebrow at them, crossing her arms as she leaned back in her chair.

"Oh yeah?"

Hakoda laughed. "I would have thought the two of you would have been up to see the sunrise."

"I've never seen anything like it," Ursa said excitedly, sitting her cup down on the table. "I've seen sunrises and sunsets almost all over the world, but this…" She gave a wistful sigh as she dropped her hands into her lap and looked over at Hakoda. "We packed a light breakfast and went to the edge of the village. Endless snow stretched out in front of us, and the sky above. It's almost like watching the sky be reflected in the sea. But with the snow… It's so hard to describe. And the peace. It was so peaceful."

"The company wasn't bad at all, either," Hakoda said, chuckling lightly.

"I'm sure," Zuko deadpanned.

"I can't believe you missed it," Ursa said, facing her son. "You're always up that early."

"I was up," he said, turning away from them and busying himself with the boiling water.

Katara bit the corners of her cheeks to keep her smile in check. If either Hakoda or Ursa noticed it, they said nothing, and Katara had no intention of pushing the issue. At least everyone was having a nice start to their day.

"Get my favorite cup," Katara instructed as Zuko reached toward the cabinets.

Without complaint, he dug out her favorite blue mug and poured her tea, setting it on the table in front of her. She closed her eyes and savored the smell of jasmine and the warmth of the tea as she wrapped her hands around the mug. Then she noticed that Zuko was getting ready to pour a cup for himself.

"No," she barked. "No restorative tea for you. You get regular tea."

Hakoda raised an eyebrow at his daughter's harsh tone, but his expression turned from curious to outright surprise when Zuko obeyed with only a few grumbles. Sighing, Zuko sat down, and Hakoda opened his mouth to speak, but Ursa cut him off, her hand lightly resting on his shoulder.

"Zuko's a firebender. I'm sure such a slow sunrise played all kinds of tricks with his energy."

"I don't really think so—"

"Zuko, you've got more energy than Aang had when that Earth Kingdom general gave him a chi unblocking tea to help him unlock the Avatar State," Katara said, looking incredulously at her fiancé. How he could even _begin_ to pretend that he wasn't practically vibrating with energy was beyond her.

"I guess it's a good thing there aren't more firebenders here, huh?"

"Oh, I don't know, Hakoda," Ursa said, stretching delicately. "I could use a bit more energy after this morning."

Katara stopped, her mug halfway to her mouth. "_What_?"

"We had to get up extremely early so we didn't miss anything," Hakoda said with a too casual shrug. "Remember? We're crossing over into summer now, so the days are getting longer."

"Is that why the sun took so long?" Zuko asked, tapping his finger against his chin. "Hm. That explains a lot."

"I could do this every morning for the rest of my life, and never tire of it," Ursa said. "I can't thank you enough, Hakoda. I can't think of a more wonderful way to spend the morning."

"It was my pleasure. It's not nearly half the fun when you do it by yourself. Two people are always better than one."

"Or sometimes three," Ursa supplied with a sly smile.

Hakoda thought briefly before shaking his head. "I'd prefer two. Things just start to get awkward at three people. Someone always gets left out."

"Good point. But still—"

"Yeah, I hate to interrupt, but Dad, I need you to do me a big favor."

There was only so much Katara could take without barfing. She refused to ask for elaboration. In fact, she refused to think much on what their conversation could possibly mean. That was her father and her mother in law. They were her parents. She would not, absolutely _would not_, question their trains of thought. Judging from the dumbstruck and slightly horrified look on Zuko's face, he wasn't about to ask for clarification, either. The best thing to do would be to move on to more neutral topics.

"Sure, pup. If it's within my power."

"It is," Katara said, setting her cup down and becoming more serious. "It's about Anu."

The air in the room tensed, and Katara placed her hand on Zuko's knee.

"What could you possibly want with him?" Ursa asked, steel in her voice as she sat with her back straight and her head high, a posture no doubt drilled into her since she was a child.

"The Fire Nation has Agni Kais," Katara said, holding her father's gaze, "and we also have an honor duel."

"Katara—"

"Anu is visiting from the North, yes, but so long as he is here, he is subject to our rules and laws. I ask you to grant us that retribution."

Hakoda paused before answering, his gaze resting on Zuko, and Katara followed her father's doubtful look. Frowning, she pinched Zuko.

"If you look so eager, he might say no," she scolded.

Zuko only shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "I'm not going to pretend that a chance to beat up Anu wouldn't make my day," he said.

Hakoda frowned and dropped his head in his hands. "I'm trying to be an impartial judge of your request," he said. "It's my duty as chief to be an impartial judge."

Ursa rubbed Hakoda's back soothingly, a shadow passing over her face, coloring her features in a way that reminded Katara that it was Ursa who'd orchestrated Azulon's death. Ursa. Zuko's mother, and the woman currently comforting her father, the woman who'd been able to do what so many men and women before her had been unable to accomplish. Ursa looked to Zuko, and a knowing smile spread on his face.

"Or we could always invite him for dinner," Ursa suggested, her voice sweet and plying.

And that was enough to tip Hakoda off that something was wrong. He sat up and looked at Ursa, her face returned to sweet innocence.

"You're trying to force my hand," he said.

"Agni, no," Ursa said with mock hurt, her hand over her chest. "I'm just trying to invite the young man over for dinner."

Katara frowned when she saw her father's eye flick to where Ursa's hand rested against her chest, and that's when Katara realized that Ursa was wearing _her father's clothes_.

"What happened to your clothes—"

"Retribution granted," Hakoda said quickly, practically tripping over the words.

No sooner had Hakoda said those words than Zuko sprung up from his chair, a huge smile on his face, proclaiming that he needed to sharpen his swords. There was too much bounce in his step, and when Katara turned back to her parents, they were both looking after him with much concern.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Hakoda asked.

"Positive. Zuko has _amazing_ restraint. Trust me."

"Maybe we should have invited him over for dinner," Ursa said thoughtfully, her hand still resting on Hakoda's back.

Hakoda stood, pulling out Ursa's chair and holding out his hand for her. She smiled as she accepted it, nodding her thanks.

"Well, I trust that, if his restraint should fail, you'll be there to keep anything too bad from happening," Ursa said.

"Of course," Katara said, collecting the dishes and shooing Hakoda and Ursa away. There was only so much her brain could take without travelling down uncomfortable paths. "What could possibly go wrong?"

"By the way," Ursa said from the doorway, "you might want to do something about your neck."

When they left, Katara took the dish water and healed her entire neck, not wanting to see just what they'd been staring at, and why no one bothered to say anything. Or why she didn't notice it herself. Sighing, she began washing the dishes, thinking about just how satisfying it would be to finally ram her fist into Anu's face. She'd even planned out the terms of the duel already and imagined several different scenarios in which she and Zuko cornered Anu and delivered the challenge. But, of course, that would mean Anu would get a second. Their duels were fair, so the fight would have to be two on two.

Katara was humming to herself when a pair of warm arms slipped around her waist, and Zuko rested his chin against her shoulder. Katara leaned back against his chest, drying her hands on a towl and wrapping her arms around his. He moved to kiss her neck, and Katara pulled away slightly.

"Why didn't you tell me there was a _massive_ bruise on my neck? One that _you_ put there."

"I thought you knew."

Even though she tried to move away again, Zuko tightened his arms around her and kissed her neck. She sighed and gave in, turning and throwing her arms around his neck. Zuko pressed her back against the counter, placing his hands on either side of her, as he took control of the kiss, his tongue finding hers and stroking it, and she fisted his hair in her hand, holding him to her. Katara remembered the way that energy felt as it swirled in his body, and pulled him closer to her. Zuko grunted, his hand moving up her thigh.

"Again?" Katara said incredulously as she broke the kiss. "Seriously?"

Zuko laughed, burying his face in her neck. "I've got a lot of energy."

"Maybe you should save some of that energy for the duel."

"Don't worry, I'll still have some left over."

Katara laughed, only putting up mild resistance when his hand moved up her thigh. While Zuko might have boundless energy, Katara doubted her ability to hold her own in a fight after the eventful morning.

"Ok," Gran said, barging into the kitchen, her trusty wooden spoon in hand.

She shooed them much the same way Katara had shooed Ursa and Hakoda, Jun following her. While Gran came and pried them apart with her spoon, Jun leaned against the wall, smirking like she'd just caught her bounty.

"If anyone's naked butt touches _anything_ in this kitchen," Gran said, shooting them pointed looks, "there'll be hell to pay."

Jun smiled. "Firebenders make the best lovers, don't they, kid?"

"That threat goes for you, too," Gran said, rounding on Jun.

She would not tolerate naked butts in her kitchen.

.O.

Katara had uttered the one sentence that could change the course of the world.

"What could possibly go wrong?" she'd asked.

They'd laid the challenge out for Anu, and he'd accepted, picking one of his buddies as his second, his confidence and bravado only serving to make Zuko angrier. The time and the venue were chosen, and Hakoda had already laid out the terms for the massive crowd that gathered to see the duel. The noon sun shone brightly overhead, and the crowd roared with cheers and more than a few heckles. Katara looked in the front row of the arena seating and saw their family. Everyone was on edge, though Katara couldn't tell just whom they were ready to jump in to protect. Beside her, Zuko was eagerly awaiting the first move, rotating his dao, practically radiating dangerous excitement.

Katara took a deep breath, the voices of the spectators retreating into the distance of her mind. She hadn't thought Anu's words had angered Zuko so much, but the moment they'd stepped into the ring, the lightness fled from his posture, and he was every bit the war veteran again, a dark and malicious smile on his face.. Katara's hands hovered over the hilts of her tanto knives, her feet grounded, ready to move. Much of Zuko's anger was directed at Anu, and her plan was to claim him before Zuko did. She trusted Zuko to think rationally, but wasn't willing to leave everything up to him being calm and levelheaded.

Hakoda stood, frowning slightly, and raised his hand. The crowd died down.

"Remember," he called out, "that Zuko and Katara are forbidden from using their bending. The penalty will be loss of the duel. This is not a duel to the death. It shall be won when one party forfeits, is knocked unconscious, or a referee must step in and stop the fight. Let's hope that doesn't happen."

Hakoda delivered his speech with his eyes firmly fixed on Zuko. Katara watched him nod, but his face was still firmly set. Whatever he would do, he would do. There was no talking him out of it at this point.

"Begin!"

The crowd erupted into applause, and Anu made the first move. He also made it quite evident that he'd never actually fought in the war. His grip on his single sword was firm and his footing solid, but he was too committed to the attack, too soon. Katara could see that, and quite possibly his next three moves, clearly. He was arcing his sword, hoping to deliver an upward blow that would disarm his opponent. After the disarming, he would attack left, spin around to attack the right, then attack the left again. It was a basic move Katara had watched Zuko and Sokka practice, but they'd told her it was to develop control and precision, not to be used in actual combat, because it was such a basic set of moves. Any enemy worth the effort would be able to see that move and neutralize the threat long before it had any hope of doing real damage. Anu was severely outclassed.

Smiling, Katara moved in front of Zuko, easily sidestepping that first upward arc and slamming her fist into Anu's kidney. He howled in surprise and pain, his eyes wide and uncomprehending, clearly having expected Katara to hit softer. Anu's scream caused his second, Saan, to falter in his strike against Zuko; a costly mistake as Zuko swept his legs from under him and delivered a hard punch to his chest. Saan landed with a thud, the wind rushing out of his lungs, leaving him dazed on the ground. Katara wasted no time in pressing her advantage against Anu. As he staggered, she kneed him in the side, sending him skidding across the arena floor. Both men groaned and held their aching bodies, rolling uselessly from side to side. She and Zuko hadn't even touched their weapons.

"Well, that wasn't any fun at all," Zuko said, sounding extremely disappointed.

"I thought this was about defending our honor?" Katara chastised, her fists on her hips.

"Yeah, that, too."

Katara frowned at Zuko, but he only smiled and shrugged. She rolled her eyes and turned to regard the two men who were struggling to their knees. She might not admit it out loud, but that _was_ a disappointment. She looked up at her father, who only shrugged, waiting a few more moments before he stood.

"We didn't even unsheathe our weapons," Zuko complained. "What the hell kind of duel was that?"

Hakoda was making his way over the wall that separated the fighting arena from the seating just as Anu made it to his feet. With an angry, guttural roar, he charged at Zuko, his face twisted and demented. Katara saw Zuko move from the corner of her eye; there was no way that Anu could dodge or block in time, and she doubted his reflexes were as quick or as well honed as theirs. During the war, they'd been forced to realize there was a stark difference in combat training and actual combat. In training, your opponent wasn't trying to kill you, and was therefore more likely to overlook careless mistakes.

Anu was not among friends, nor was he in combat training. He realized what was happening only a few seconds before Zuko's fist smashed into his nose. The horror and expectation of pain was written on his face, plain for anyone who was close enough to see. Katara allowed herself a small smile; seeing Anu punched in the face and watching the blood gush from his nose was certainly a satisfying sight. Any attack that Saan might have been intending never made it to fruition. Anu writhed on the ground, his eyes watering in pain, and Katara turned to Zuko.

"That was a little more exciting," he said. "Still not the best."

Katara rolled her eyes.

Maybe it was best if the Fire Nation didn't have such slow sunrises.

* * *

><p>So, this chapter is a little rough in places, but I'm tired of looking at it. Basically, this chapter was a vehicle for two things: part 2 of revenge against Anu, and a little suggestive conversation between Hakoda and Ursa. Thanks to <strong>Masayume85<strong> and **Jazzpha** for vetoing an horrible double entendre of a title, and thanks again to Jazzpha for looking over the Anu beat down scene and reminding me that not every fight has to be epic; sometimes you're just outclassed, and there's not much you can do about it. If it feels anticlimactic for you, imagine how it must feel for Zuko :/ I imagined Anu as being trained well but not having actually fought in the war. I don't believe in the absolutes that Bryke gave us during the show (_every_ warrior fought during the Siege of the North, _every_ Air Nomad was killed, etc), and for one reason or another Anu didn't fight during the war. I imagine Saan to have a bit more experience, but it's still nothing compared to Zuko and Katara.

Also, I couldn't help but slip in a little Ursa/Hakoda innuendo. Mayhaps they did just enjoy a nice sunset together. Mayhaps they did not. The important thing is that Gran doesn't allow naked butts on stuff in her kitchen. One chapter down, two to go :(


	9. Returning

The worst part about visiting the South was the part where he had to leave. Zuko felt distinctly melancholy as he looked at the Fire Nation royal ship, the newly adapted steam engine pushing plumes of white smoke into the air. The last of their belongings were packed, and in a very short time, they would set sail for the Fire Nation. This little vacation would be over, and the peace and bliss he felt would be replaced by annoyance and frustration, tireless days and sleepless nights. He sighed, exhaling a puff of steam.

"You're not going away for that long," Sokka said, resting his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "We'll see you guys in about a year, right?"

Zuko shrugged. "I suppose. But it gets harder each time I have to leave."

Sokka laughed, holding his sides as he doubled over, and Zuko frowned at his best friend. Honestly, what he said wasn't terribly funny. He crossed his arms as Sokka's laughing fit continued, and their family walked up to the dock. Rolling his eyes, Zuko turned to Katara, who was smiling softly.

"Man," Sokka said, wiping away a tear from his eye. "You're throwing a fit because you don't want to go home—"

"I am _not_ throwing a fit!"

"But seriously, I've been waiting to hear you admit that for _years_, rather than just standing around and sighing all despondently."

"You're an ass, Sokka."

Sokka shrugged as if this was no big deal, and accepted Suki's hand as she came over to him. Zuko sighed and turned back to the ship. They could hear the crew calling to each other; the ship was nearly ready and fully stocked for the journey.

"It really gets to you, doesn't it?" Ursa asked, standing by her son. "It's just…the _peace_. Here, when it's quiet, it's absolute quiet. In the capitol, and even when I was a little girl on Kirachu Island, the silence wasn't so complete."

"You're more than welcome to stay," Hakoda said.

Zuko frowned at the older man, but Hakoda was completely ignoring him.

"I think there's stuff she needs to do in the Fire Nation," Zuko said.

"Oh nonsense. That stuff can wait until I get back. I think I just might take you up on your offer, Hakoda."

"Mom!"

The rest of their party came forward just then, Ty Lee practically skipping with joy, trailing a disgruntled Toph behind her, and a very amused Iroh with Jun in tow just behind Toph. Zuko silenced Ty Lee with a look, knowing that she'd start off on another one of her romance novel ideas. It was bad enough when she did it to him and Katara, worse still when she started in on Iroh and Jun, but Zuko would not—_could not_—hear anything about his mother's alleged romantic life with anyone.

"Relax, Zuko," Katara said, grabbing his hand and tugging him so he'd turn and face her.

She laid her head on his shoulder as the captain blew the whistle on the ship, the last test before they were ready to set sail. Long goodbyes were said with many hugs given and promises made. The family would be splitting up again, everyone going their separate ways. Jun and Iroh would be returning to Ba Sing Se the following day, and Ty Lee would be returning to Kiyoshi, riding out on the same ship with them. Toph would be coming back to the Fire Nation with Zuko and Katara, and Ursa decided that she did, indeed, want to stay in the South a little longer. Gran only whacked Zuko with the spoon—and he had _no_ idea why she was carrying that thing around with her—when he protested again, saying she was needed for wedding preparations. Even Aang was heading in a different direction, planning to fly Appa to the North later that day and possibly making a few stops in the Earth Kingdom along the way.

In short, it was business as usual. The brief interlude was over.

.O.

Zuko leaned against the railing of the ship, enjoying the warming air on his face, the cold of the South having receded days ago. Already, he'd ditched his thick blue parka, leaving it on the deck beside him. The ocean filled him with a sense of peace, and Zuko held onto that feeling, thinking about that incredibly cheesy joke he'd made to Katara on their second day in the South. I do my best thinking in water, he'd said. Zuko snorted. Yeah, things didn't get much cheesier than that.

"It's good to see that you're in a better mood," Katara said, leaning back against the rail next to him. She smiled, her head tilted to the side. "I like you best when you're smiling."

"I like you best when you're near me."

Ok. So things _could_ get cheesier.

Zuko closed his eyes again, letting the ocean breeze hit him in the face. Above them, sea birds cawed, some diving into the water, scooping up fish in their beaks before catching the breeze and flying off again. He could hear the splash as they hit the water, their cries from above. There was no tension in his body, no tightness in his muscles. He felt loose and relaxed. As cheesy as it was, Zuko really did do his best thinking around water. After spending three of the most tumultuous years of his life on water, that salty smell and the push and pull had become a balm to him. It settled his mind and slowed his racing heart, clearing the way for focused, rational thought.

Even when Katara slipped between his arms where they rested on the railing, wrapping hers around his waist, Zuko didn't open his eyes. He kept them closed when she kissed his jaw, and still had them closed when her lips found his. This kiss was gentle and soft, a sweet caress. If he was still holding onto that worry, this touch would have made it vanish from his mind. They were not the same people that travelled to the South only a week ago. Something fundamental had changed in the unnamable part of themselves, making them more solid, more whole than they'd been before. If he thought now about the distance they'd been trying to breach for the past year, he could feel the loss of her more keenly. The warmth that she offered him this past week had been missing in the past year, and Zuko smiled against her lips, thinking of the whispers that crowded around them in the palace.

_See, it wasn't meant to last._

_At least they've got their friendship._

_I'm in favor of them not getting married. She doesn't belong here, anyway._

_I bet it's part of a plot to control the Fire Nation._

_She's not even royalty._

"You're just all sorts of amused today, aren't you?"

Zuko leaned his forehead against his fiancée's, his wife's, letting that peace and contentment settle deep into his bones. He kissed her, his lips a little more insistent than hers had been, impressing upon her the depths of his happiness. He put his hands on her waist as he pulled back to look in her eyes.

"I'm ready to start seriously planning the wedding."

The smile that Katara gave him was absolutely brilliant.

.O.

As the air continued to warm, Zuko considered that he might have been a bit too eager in declaring that he was ready to work on wedding plans. The royal ship had an office, and Katara, being the wedding dictator that she was wont to be, declared it the Wedding Zone. The journey from the South to the Fire Nation lasted a week, and during that time, they could get much of the planning done. The ship was practically empty; with Ursa staying in the South, Ty Lee returning to Kiyoshi, and Iroh and Jun going back to Ba Sing Se, that only left Zuko and Katara with Toph from their original party. Toph was smart enough to steer clear of Katara, and thus avoided being dragged into the wedding planning.

By the time they were nearly at the Gates of Azulon, headway had been made, without a doubt. There was a massive checklist of everything that needed to be considered, from the color of hair ornaments, to shoes, to where out of town guests would stay, how to house the ostrich horses, whether Zuko preferred Katara with makeup or without, which _bed sheets_ they should use. There were even items related to policy on that damned list. Whether or not to waive certain taxes for the wedding week to stimulate business, should they ban the sale of weapons, whether or not to start a curfew. Issues that Zuko had done an amazing job of avoiding were being solved, and slowly, the details of the ceremony were taking shape, though Zuko had the distinct feeling that they were skipping over the more important things. They now had the perfect color palette, with red as the main color and blue, gold, and white as accents, and they had the dessert course and the appetizers planned, though not the rest of the meal. There was a minor debate about traditional cuisine and whether Fire Nation palates would be able to handle sea prune stew. Zuko was in favor of adapting the stew, but Katara would hear none of it.

Taking a deep breath, Zuko moved on to the next task at hand: seating and security arrangements. For diplomacy's sake, there were certain people that would have to be invited to the wedding and the feast, but that didn't mean Zuko trusted them. He pulled out a map of the palace ballroom where the feast would be held, quickly labeling the exits and noting where they led.

"Ok, so I don't want anyone sitting near this exit," Zuko said, pointing to the door that led the kitchen. "This way, we can minimize the number of people with access to the kitchen."

"Sure," Katara said absently, turning in his lap.

She rested her arm on his shoulder and kissed his jaw as she lazily braided a section of her hair. Zuko ignored the chill that went through him when her fingertips grazed the back of his neck, redoubling his focus on the papers in front of him.

"Of course, we'll be here, towards the back of the room and directly across from the door. There are fewer exits back here, so it'll minimize the security risk." Zuko drew a rectangle to signify their table. "I'll have Mom, Uncle, and I suppose Jun on my side. You'll have Hakoda, Gran, and Pakku."

Katara kissed his jaw again, now deliberately rubbing circles on his neck, her touch light and almost tickling. Zuko took a deep breath to calm himself, and tried to block out those sensations.

"Focus, Katara," he said in what he hoped was a stern voice. "Just one more hour, I promise."

Katara didn't say anything, but retracted her arm, and Zuko turned her in his lap so that she'd be facing the desk. For the next ten minutes, Katara was obedient, even though Zuko did notice a distinct lack of interest on her part. Her attention was elsewhere, evident in the way she leaned forward, rubbing against him, or when she decided she needed a stretch, arching her back and giving a satisfied moan.

"If we put Minister Foss and his family in this corner, they can't…um…"

Zuko's thoughts leaked out of his brain as Katara gave up all pretenses of "accidentally" rubbing against him. She ran her hands along his thighs, her head thrown back as she moved her hips against his, teasing him as she rolled against the bulge that had been steadily growing for the past ten minutes. Zuko closed his eyes as Katara moved against him, not stopping his hands from going to her hips.

"The, um… Foss and wedding… Planning… Planning! We were planning!"

"We _were_," Katara said, arching her back with a flick of her hips that set Zuko's body on fire. "But you're just so, _incredibly_ stubborn."

Zuko shuddered, his fingers digging into her hips as she continued to move against him, and she leaned her head back against his shoulder, massaging her breasts through her shirt, moaning lightly as she trailed one hand down her stomach.

"Spirits, Katara…"

Rubbing became grinding, and Zuko couldn't suppress his own moan of satisfaction, thoughts of wedding planning now far from his mind. Katara leaned forward against the desk, panting as she swirled her hips in a way that she long ago learned turned him to putty. The last of his resistance slipped away, and when Katara threw a leg over his, he didn't fight her. He didn't fight her as she guided one of his hands to her breast, and the other down the front of her pants. He kissed her neck, savoring the sound of her needy moan as he slipped a finger inside her, panting with his own need and want. He slipped his hand under her shirt, eager to be rid of her wrappings, nipping at her neck. Katara moaned again, grinding against his hand, using hers to push him deeper, and Zuko knew it would never be enough like this. He heated his hands, and Katara tried to stifle a moan.

Growling, Zuko stood abruptly. There was no logical reason for them to be acting as if they couldn't just ditch the clothes. The barriers between them had come down long ago, and when Katara turned to face him, her mouth was rough against his. She rubbed him through his pants, dragging her nails along him, and Zuko pressed forward, his hands already working at the ties to her shirt, and he didn't even bother to properly unwrap her breast bindings, just using a tiny flame to sear away the fabric. He took one nipple in his mouth as soon as Katara was topless, and she ran her fingers through his hair as he sucked and licked, her moans quivering with her body. Leaving one nipple for the other, Zuko worked at her pants, careful not to disintegrate those because she would definitely need them if they intended to leave the office with some semblance of dignity.

The moment he stepped back, Katara's hand was in his pants, stroking him, relieving some of that tension, and Zuko's heart rate spiked as he moaned against her neck. With her free hand, she undid the ties to his shirt, and Zuko shrugged out of it, eager to also be rid of his pants. Katara yanked them down, far less gentle than he'd been, but it didn't matter because she had him in her hand again, her touch masterful. Pushing her hand away, Zuko lifted her, and Katara swept her hand behind her, knocking half the stuff on the desk to the floor, and Zuko sat her on it, his mouth finding hers again, kissing her with every inch of him, desperate for the day when she would have the Fire Lady's crown in her hair, and this would be their sworn duty.

"We've never done it in your office before," Katara said with a smirk, her lips touching his as she guided him inside her.

She held that smirk, even as she bit her lip, even as Zuko moaned, loving the feel of being inside her, loving the feel of _her_. It was Katara who set the pace this time, her hands on his butt, encouraging him to pick up speed, tossing her head back and offering her neck to him. Zuko went instantly to that place that made her give that girlish giggle, just below her ear, and he kissed, and that giggle turned into a moan, then back to a giggle, and Zuko sighed in satisfaction as she nipped at his chest, then kissed, then pulled him down on top of her, wrapping her arms around his back, lightly scratching his scalp.

Lovely tension built in his muscles, and Zuko pushed in as far as he could go, then tried to push deeper, slamming into Katara so hard that he could feel her body quake beneath him. Several times, she tried to form words, but they became nothing more than incoherent babble, and every time she tried to speak, he thrust into her, and the look in her eyes held too much desire to be angry.

Then she was pushing at his hips and his shoulders, forcing him back.

"What—"

"Trust me," she said, placing soft kisses on his cheeks.

Katara slid off the desk, slightly unstable, and Zuko grabbed her to steady her. It wasn't until she was turning around and bending over the desk that he caught on to what she was doing. She smiled at him over her shoulder, wiggling her butt. Sometimes, Zuko was obedient. He slid into her, hard and fast, and there was no time for her to quiet that moan that escaped, and she actually blushed because there was no way people nearby couldn't hear that. He did it again, pushing forward and reaching deep within her.

"Harder," Katara demanded, her voice rough as she arched her back.

Zuko obliged, knowing his control wasn't going to last much longer. He grabbed her hips and slammed into her as hard as he could, struggling to keep his own noises under control, loving the way her muscles clenched around him.

"My lord, my lady," one of the crew said, banging on the door. "We've docked—"

"Fuck off!"

How anyone could think this was a good time to interrupt was beyond him, but Zuko had better things to do than dwell on the rudeness of others. He kept up that relentless pace for as long as he could, trying to think about anything and everything except just how good it felt to be buried in Katara. Her gasping kept him in the present though, her hand guiding his to that sensitive bud, demanding he give it special attention.

"Right there," she said, her voice a breathy whisper. "Don't stop, don't stop."

Zuko slumped forward, his chest against her back. He was holding off his release for as long as he could, but his own control was slipping. The more her pleasure mounted, the more she tightened around him, and there was nothing greater than that feeling, and Zuko couldn't stop it, letting out a long, slow moan against her shoulder as she whimpered beneath him. He didn't stop moving, moving his fingers against that bud, determined to bring her release, too. She was close; he could feel it in the way she was shaking, could see it in the way she clawed at the desk. Focusing his mind and his energy, Zuko trailed long tendrils of heat up her leg before returning to that bud, and Katara let out a slow scream, and Zuko thought that he'd misjudged and used too much heat until that 'yes' eventually made its way out from behind the 'oh.'

Zuko smiled smugly, pulling her into his lap as he sat in the chair.

Things had changed between them, indeed. They were not the same as when they left.

.O.

Chief of Staff, Minister Hau was not entirely enthused about having to wait an extra twenty minutes, without explanation, for the Fire Lord and his princess to disembark. Toph was standing next to him, popping lychee nuts in her mouth, a knowing smile on her face.

Zuko cleared his throat sheepishly as he came face to face with Hau, and beside him, the Head of Household Staff, and his master of secrets, Mistress Yina. Yina took one look at them, then bowed low to hide her smile.

"Welcome back, your majesties," she said. "It is good to see you the way you were meant to be."

When she stood, her face was schooled into a perfect mask, no trace of amusement anywhere, except for a slight twinkle in her eyes. Hau didn't try to hide his amusement.

"I take it your trip was…refreshing?"

Toph snorted, turning toward one of the carriages and getting inside. "I'm riding by myself, if you don't mind," she announced.

As their caravan headed back to the palace, the peace and happiness that seeped into Zuko's bones on the voyage back still hadn't left. He looked at Katara to his right, the sun casting a golden glow on her, and there was never a moment in his whole life that Zuko could say felt better than this. He kissed her, his thumb caressing her cheek, and she placed her hands on his shoulders. Zuko didn't care that people could see them. He wanted to be seen.

When they broke apart, people were, indeed, watching them. But neither felt embarrassed or ashamed. As the royal procession moved through the capitol and curious gawkers lined the streets, Katara cuddled up to his side, and Zuko slipped his arm around her waist. Silently, in his heart, Zuko hoped that he and Katara would be able to set an example for all of the Fire Nation, and maybe for the entire world. The contentment he felt when she was near, and the bliss of her hand in his was something he wanted everyone to feel. If more marriages were for love rather than for political gain, maybe the world would be a better place.

Zuko smiled. That was Katara's hopebending infecting him again. Some of the older council members might say that these thoughts were nothing more than the overly simplistic, idealistic ruminations of a young man in love.

"So, how soon do you want to do that again?" Katara asked, a sleepy note to her voice.

"As soon as we get back to the palace."

She pulled away from, giving him a curious look before smiling, and Zuko smiled because he realized they were talking about two vastly different things. They laughed together, and Katara lay back against him, and Zuko held her close.

"_You_ are insatiable," she said, playfully slapping him on the chest.

"I can be pretty sated. You keep me satisfied."

Nearing the palace gates meant nearing the aristocracy. Smirking, Zuko stopped the caravan and got out. Confused, Katara peered down at him. He had his hand outstretched, and tentatively, Katara took it.

"What are we doing?"

"Reminding them that I am their Fire Lord. And _you_ are their Fire Lady."

Nervous excitement coursed through Zuko, making his hands and feet tingle. He knew the eyes of supporters and detractors were on them, judging them, deeming them worthy and unworthy. But he would not let them rule his life. He kissed his fiancée, his hands at her waist, her body flush against his.

"I love you, Katara," Zuko said with every ounce of sincerity as he pulled away from her embrace.

"I love you, too, Zuko."

Katara placed her hand on his scar, her fingers tracing the burned skin like they hadn't done in too long. She stood on the tips of her toes to place gentle kisses on his cheek and his eye, and Zuko's stomach did little flips.

He took her hand, and together they paraded through the streets, more visible than they'd been in the carriage.

No one said a word to them.

* * *

><p>And with this, we have completed our lovely week of reconnecting. I hope you all enjoyed the journey, and that this last part warms your heart. It's been a blast to write this, and I can't thank each of you enough for reading and reviewing, and generally being awesome. This story has really evolved since its inception, and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Happy holidays to all!<p> 


	10. Epilogue: Living

Katara looked in the mirror hanging over the basin in the bathroom. She poked at the slight bags under her eyes, pulled them down then pushed them back into place. She'd fallen asleep during that afternoon's meetings. Again. Minister Foss's wife had been pissed, and made some snotty remark, but Katara thought her comeback was pretty sassy and witty.

Oh? Is that what you're using the night for? Huh. I thought nighttime was for…other activities.

So Zuko had choked on his tea a bit. It was worth it to see the scandalized faces of those present, even those who were trying to hold back smiles.

Smiling, she walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom proper, quickly scanning the room until she found Zuko. He was sitting at the desk in the corner, furiously writing and occasionally snickering to himself.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked, a little concerned for her fiancé's sanity.

Zuko turned quickly, looking like he'd been caught. Which, essentially, he was. Katara put her hands on her hips, but she couldn't help smiling. Since they'd returned to the Fire Nation a month ago, the atmosphere in the palace was completely different. Them parading through the streets in front of the nobility had sent a very clear message. She and Zuko were together for all the proper reasons, and there was nothing that could be done to separate them. That didn't mean some nobility and council members didn't try, attempting to send them on long trips away from each other and hoping to increase the gulf that had been closed during their week in the South. None of these tactics worked. There was much that needed to be done in the capitol, and for the moment, both she and Zuko were staying put.

"I'm writing a letter to Sokka."

Zuko turned back to his desk, and Katara sat down at the vanity and picked up her hair brush. She hummed tunelessly as she ran the brush through her thick curls. There was no way to keep a contented smile from her face. This silence wasn't strained. It was comfortable, just like it had been when they first got engaged, just like their silences had been since she'd forgiven him. There was no need to fill that void, no need to demand words from the other. They could simply be in the same room and exist together.

And all would be right with the world.

"Could…could you do me a favor?" Katara asked, setting the brush down.

"Sure. Whatever you need, Kitten."

Katara glanced over her shoulder. Zuko was still scribbling away at his letter to Sokka. Those two gossiped more than Ty Lee, though each would adamantly deny it. Sokka would say that gossip was a women's thing, and that he and Zuko _shared information_.

"Do you think we could move the wedding up a bit? Say, about three months from now?"

"Of course. I'll talk to the Fire Sages first thing in the morning."

Zuko was clearly too engrossed in his letter for his brain to fully process what she was saying. Katara stood and untied her robe, draping it across the back of a chair. That was fine. His reaction would just be funnier when he realized what was going on. She turned back the covers on the bed and climbed in, waiting patiently for Zuko.

"If you don't mind me asking, what for?"

This was the opening she'd been waiting for.

"I don't want people claiming our child is an illegitimate heir because I wasn't your wife and Fire Lady before the baby's birth."

"Oh. That makes sense."

Katara muffled her laughter, laying her head down on the pillows as she watched Zuko finish the last of his letter. When he was done, he folded it and stuffed it in a drawer. Stretching, he walked over to the bed and pulled back his half of the covers, and slid in next to Katara, giving her a quick peck on the lips. Katara stifled another laugh, wondering just how long it would take for Zuko's brain to catch up with reality. He extinguished the wall scones with a flick of his wrist, cuddling up to her and wrapping his arm around her waist. Sighing and slightly disappointed, Katara figured she'd just tell him again in the morning.

When she was startled out of sleep by Zuko's loud exclamation, Katara couldn't say for sure just how much time had passed.

"You're _pregnant_?"

Katara blinked rapidly, her hand over her heart, completely bewildered. Zuko just looked at her, completely shocked.

"Zuko, how _long_ has it been?"

With a few precise jabs, half of the scones were lit, bathing the room in a soft glow. Katara sat up, rubbing her eyes. Zuko was still staring at her, but now the corners of his mouth were pulled up into a smile.

"It's been about an hour. But you're pregnant? For real?"

The annoyance started to bleed away with Zuko's growing excitement, and she squealed as he wrapped her up in a big hug, squishing her to him. He hadn't even waited for her to answer.

"I thought you were still taking those herbs," Zuko said, holding her at arm's length.

"Well, I was. But then we weren't seeing much of each other, and it got really depressing because it only reminded me that we weren't together anymore, so I kind of stopped."

"How far along?"

"Oh, only about five weeks."

Katara watched as Zuko started doing the math, and a sly smirk came over her.

"You aren't trying to figure out which day it was, are you?"

"Maybe."

Zuko kissed her cheek, then her lips, and Katara threw her arms around his neck, just holding him close and being happy and feeling content.

"Your majesties, we heard screaming. Is everything alright?"

The guards were knocking at the door, and Katara laughed to herself. No doubt, they were holding back on adding, 'and not the usual screaming.' Slipping out of bed and putting on her robe, Katara opened the door and looked out at the guards.

"Everything's just fine," she said, feeling giddy. "We just have a bit of good news."

Curiosity was evident on the guards' faces, but they would have to wait until the morning. There was no way she was telling anyone except their family, first. Not that they would have long to wait. Ursa's ship from the South would arrive early in the morning, and she and Zuko could share the news over breakfast. With a pleasant goodnight, Katara closed the door, and practically ran toward the bed, jumping into Zuko's waiting arms.

"Wow," he said, snuggling up to her again. "I just…I can't believe it."

And then his face started to fall, and Katara tried not to laugh because she knew where his mind was going, how he was following this train of thought to its logical conclusion: an actual real baby, part him, part Katara. A little baby with large golden eyes. Tiny hands and feet. Bending water.

"Relax, Zuko," Katara said, patting his cheek. "We'll be fine."

When they curled up to settle into sleep again, Katara felt a flutter of excitement as Zuko slipped his hand up her nightgown, resting his palm on her bare stomach.

"I never gave kids much thought before," Zuko said, kissing her shoulder. "But now? I don't think it's possible to be happier."

Katara sighed contentedly.

"Wait until you're holding our baby."

* * *

><p>And because it <em>is<em> the holiday season, I decided to go ahead and post the final chapter and the epilogue together! YAY! STEAMBABIES! I to have this epilogue about halfway through writing this, and this really cute scene just lodged itself in my brain. I've been waiting to write this for so long. I loved the idea of oblivious Zuko, too caught up in gossiping with Sokka to understand that Katara's telling him she's pregnant. He gets it, though...an hour later XD Oh, Zuzu... And yes, this is the only chapter without smut. But that's because it's pure, unadulterated fluff.


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